Necessary To Win
by Theralion
Summary: Miho and Saki return to a game they thought they had left behind forever when their school revives tankery, in the hopes of achieving goals important to them and helping their friends do the same.
1. A Return To Tankery

**Necessary To Win**

**Chapter 1: A Return To Tankery**

She had thought she had left tankery behind forever.

She had talent, like her sister and mother, even if hers was less celebrated. And while her mother pushed her hard to excel at tankery, much to her displeasure, she had to admit that there were times when she enjoyed it. In those times, she stopped seeing it as her responsibility or an area where she was duty-bound to succeed, but something that was fun, something she could do with her friends and her sister.

But after what had happened in the not too distant past, continuing seemed to be too painful, and she had stopped thinking of tankery as fun. Some believed that she had made a mistake, and others believed that her quitting was indicative of her possessing a weak will.

And yet, much to her surprise, her new school, Oarai Academy, had re-established tankery, with no shortage of hype, and with many attractive incentives. Her new friends jumped at the opportunity, but for her, the decision was more complicated.

It was clear that her school needed her tankery experience, but that alone was not enough to sway her. She had her own reasons, wishing to fight alongside her friends, helping them to achieve their own goals just as they would support her efforts to reach her own goal. She also had something to prove to certain members of her family, whom she loved, even if others believed their relationship was less than ideal, to put it mildly.

The year Oarai Academy revived its tankery program was also the year when Nishizumi Miho and Miyanaga Saki returned to tankery. The story of the tournament that year also became their story, the story of two girls who had once given up, but became willing to do whatever was necessary to win and accomplish what they set out to do.

* * *

Nishizumi Miho, a second-year in high school who was also in her first year at Oarai, stood in the Student Council's office with her friends and classmates, Isuzu Hana and Takebe Saori, having been called in for a meeting with the four third-years on the student council.

It was not difficult for Miho to guess why the student council had called her in during lunch. The previous day, the four of them had approached her during a class break, telling them that Oarai was restarting its tankery program, and they needed her to take it as her mandatory elective, in spite of Miho's saying that she had chosen the school specifically to avoid tankery. The Student Council, by using a propaganda filmstrip and generous incentives, had recruited a large number of students, including Miho's two new friends. But Miho remained unconvinced, and the idea of being pressured to succeed felt too familiar for comfort.

Earlier that morning, Miho had chosen incense, apologizing to her friends for her decision, only to find that they quickly changed their minds, wanting to share the same class with her. Greatly relieved, Miho turned in her form in homeroom that morning. Her relief turned to horror when the Student Council called her in for a meeting- clearly, they were more insistent on her doing tankery than she had initially thought- but her new friends accompanied her there to lend her their support.

"Why did you choose this as your elective?" the public relations representative, Kawashima Momo, a dark-haired girl with a monocle, said, holding up Miho's elective signup sheet, which had a mark on Incense. "We need you to do tankery; only a few other people besides Hisa here have any sort of experience." She then gestured to Takei Hisa, a redheaded girl with shoulder-length hair, who was the treasurer for Oarai Academy's Student Council.

"We're finished... our school's finished!" Koyama Yuzu, a girl with brown hair in a ponytail who was the vice president of the Student Council, said.

The rest of the Student Council glanced at Yuzu, surprised at her outburst, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary about it to Miho and her friends. If the Student Council was willing to call Miho in to force her to change her elective, it would not be surprising if they were also willing to bend the truth or outright lie to convince her to do tankery.

"Don't you get it?" Saori, a girl with orange hair who was sociable and popular, yet, much to her chagrin, had little luck finding a boyfriend, said. "Miho came to this school specifically so that she could avoid tankery! Didn't she tell you already?"

"Please give up on Nishizumi-san," Hana, a polite and elegant girl with long dark hair, said.

"If that's how you want it," Kadotani Anzu, president of the Student Council, said, "maybe all of you won't be staying at Oarai Academy for much longer." Her slight frown gave way to a devious smirk as she delivered her warning.

"This isn't what we discussed, President," Hisa whispered in Anzu's ear, as her friend and superior went off script. "I thought we were just going to talk to Nishizumi-san, not threaten her."

Anzu ignored Hisa, as Hana was in the process of interjecting.

"I cannot believe you are threatening us!" Hana said.

"You can't be serious!" Saori said, no more willing to believe Anzu's threat than she was willing to believe Yuzu's claim that the school's existence was on the line.

"The President always is, even if she doesn't look it," the public relations rep said flatly.

Yuzu glanced at Hisa, who faintly sighed.

_"You and I both know why the president's doing this, Yuzu,"_ Hisa thought. _"But since she's not budging and we do need someone of Nishizumi-san's caliber with us, you should try talking with those three."_

Yuzu, reaching the same conclusion as Hisa did, stepped forward toward Mhio and her friends.

"I...I think it might be best for you to apologize, right?" Yuzu said, desperately hoping to defuse the situation.

"No, _you _need to apologize!" Saori said, her temper flaring at what she believed was an implication that Yuzu considered Anzu's behavior acceptable.

The argument devolved into a shouting match, with Momo and Anzu arguing against Saori and Hana.

Miho glanced downward at her hands, one of which held Saori's hand and the other of which held Hana's. She did not yet know why the student council wanted her to do tankery so badly. But she realized that Hana and Saori's interest in tankery, while genuine, was outweighed by their desire to not have her suffer while doing tankery.

Miho had only just met them, but they had the makings of good friends. And if people like them would become her teammates, then maybe, just maybe, tankery would be worth doing again.

Miho took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'll do tankery!" Miho said, more forcefully than she thought herself to be capable of, cutting off the argument.

Saori and Hana gasped in surprise.

"Wonderful!" Yuzu said. Hisa smiled, while the other two Student Council officials grinned triumphantly.

"And…" Hana said, "If it's not too late, now that Nishizumi-san has agreed to take tankery, I would like to do so as well."

"Me too!" Saori said. "Hana and I changed our choices because Miho didn't feel comfortable doing tankery, and while we wanted to do tankery, we wanted to do the same elective as her. But if she's willing to do it now, then so are we!"

"Excellent," Hisa said. "Nishizumi-san, if you have some time this afternoon, after school, I'd like to meet with you near the club buildings to discuss some things related to the tankery club and introduce you to some friends of mine who know some things about tankery. Do you know where those are?"

"I do," Miho said.

"Ok, then," Hisa said. "I'll see you there after school."

"In that case," Saori said, "Why don't we go out for ice cream once you're done, Miho?"

"That place you mentioned at lunch?" Miho said. "I'd like to have some, but for now, I'll head to where the treasurer told me to meet her."

"That's good- that about concludes the meeting," Hisa said. "I'll see you after class, Nishizumi-san."

"I'll see you then, Treasurer," Miho said.

Miho and her friends walked out of the student council office. As they passed by the waiting room outside the office, they saw four students- one with purple hair, one with a blonde ponytail and glasses, one with a darker ponytail, and one with short red hair.

As soon as they were out of earshot of anyone else, Saori resumed the conversation.

"You really surprised us there, Miho," Saori said. "Are you sure about your decision?"

"I am," Miho said. "This is the first time anyone has openly stood up for my decision like that. My family always did tankery, especially my mother and older sister. It was our tradition, and that was all there was to it. I couldn't do things their way, but now…I'm doing it for my own reasons, so I can be with both of you."

Hana listened and nodded. Not unlike Miho, she had made her own decision regarding her family's art.

"I'll head over to the club buildings after class," Miho said. "I'll see you later this afternoon, Isuzu-san, Takebe-san."

Saying goodbye to Hana and Saori, Miho pondered what she had just gotten herself into. In spite of her bad experiences with tankery in the past, and the various expectations placed on her, she had made her decision, for the simple reason of wanting to do it with her friends.

* * *

The girls who were outside the Student Council office, Oarai Academy' mahjong club, waited anxiously, except for their laid back president, Kanbara Satomi, the redhead and a third year. For the last two years, they had wavered on the edge of being disbanded, due to having barely enough members to qualify as a club. They did not expect to win tournaments as they were, but hoped to, at the very least, continue being able to play mahjong with each other with the stamp of legitimacy afforded to a school club, and become a gathering place for like-minded students.

"Come on in!" Hisa said, and they got up and walked in. "I'm sorry it's late; we had a meeting beforehand that was somewhat unexpected, and went on longer than we thought."

"That's alright, Hisa," Kajiki Yumi, the purple-haired third-year who was essentially considered the brains of the club despite not having any official position, said. "It took a little while to round up all five of us; we were running a little late."

"But there's only four people here," Anzu said. "You need at least five for a club at this school."

Part of the student council's reason for calling the entire club to their office was to determine whether any of the five members were "ghost members," members of the club who signed their names but rarely, if ever, made an appearance. The fact that only four people had heeded the summons seemed to be proof that the fifth was only committed to signing her name, and as such, the club did not have the necessary member commitment to continue to exist.

"Yes, I'm aware, but- oh, right," Yumi said. "Momo!" she called out.

"You have some nerve, calling me-" the public relations rep began, before stopping short. Before her eyes, to Yumi's right, a girl with shoulder-length dark hair seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"Touyoko Momoko, first year and new member of the mahjong club~su!" Momo T. said.

"I…I didn't notice her," Momo K. said.

"Not many do," Yumi said. "For some reason, Momo lacks presence, and people don't notice her, even when looking directly at her. It took a great deal of effort to find her."

Yumi had to track Momo T.'s IP address to her classroom and call out, in front of everyone else, that she wanted her for the club. That action caused Yumi to become the subject of gossip among the school, and earned her a lecture from the head of the disciplinary committee.

But it was also the first time someone had actively searched for Momo T., an act that deeply moved her. Taking Yumi's hand, Momo T. appeared before Yumi and officially accepted her invitation.

"And besides, Momo," Hisa said, looking directly at Momo K., "It's quite a coincidence that Touyoko-san has the same first name as you do, even if hers is abbreviated."

"I'm also a new member this year," Senoo Kaori, the blonde and a second-year, said. "Satomi-chan, who is the club president and my childhood friend, invited me around the time we recruited Momoko-san."

Anzu nodded, but then cleared her throat.

"Let's get down to business," Anzu said, before glancing at Yuzu.

"Kajiki-san, you have succeeded in getting together the requisite number of members for a school club," Yuzu said. "Unfortunately, that is only one requirement to keep a club going; the school must be willing and able to support it. The unfortunate truth is that the school is no longer able to keep the mahjong club around. We have made some difficult decisions lately, and your club is by no means the only one to get cut- the volleyball club suffered a similar fate. I'm sorry that we can't do much more than offer our condolences."

Yumi let off a sigh of disappointment. Momo T. looked to Yumi, with a worried expression on her face. Mutsuki muttered "I knew it…". The smile slipped off of Satomi's face for a moment. Kaori looked around, confused- did this mean that Satomi no longer needed her?

"So is that it?" Yumi said. "You only called us down here to deliver the news of our club being shut down?"

"Not quite," Anzu said. "Actually, what Koyama said wasn't quite accurate. We _can_ offer you more than our condolences, we can offer the five of you a position in the tankery team."

"Ah yes, that," Yumi said. "We went to the tankery orientation, and we certainly know all about it. But apart from what the filmstrip said and the offered incentives, what reason would we have for wanting to join?"

"If you do well enough, then we might be able to get the mahjong club going again next year," Anzu said.

Yumi frowned for a moment as she realized that there was an obvious flaw in this- two of the club members were third-years, meaning that they would not be around. Even if they succeeded.

"I'd like some time to think about it and talk with the others," Yumi said. "But in any case, Hisa, I'd like to speak with you after class today regarding this."

"Certainly, Yumi," Hisa said. "But I do have a prior engagement with Nishizumi-san regarding the tankery team. I'll see you when it's done, though."

"Ok," Yumi said. "I'll see you then, Hisa."

As Hisa walked to her meeting with Saki and the rest of the student council went to work on some things related to tankery, Yumi met with the members of the now defunct mahjong club.

"So, now what?" Mutsuki said.

"What else?" Satomi said. "We do tankery. It's interesting and it seems like our best chance of getting the club up and running again. Are you in, Kaori?"

"I…I guess," Kaori said. Satomi knew at this moment, as she had when inviting Kaori, that Kaori would do whatever she wanted.

"Sounds good," Satomi said.

"Then I suppose I'll do it as well," Mutsuki said.

Momo T. pondered what had happened as Yumi remained quiet. While she had only recently met her, she could tell that something was deeply troubling her.

"Senpai?" Momo T. said, turning to Yumi. "Is something wrong?"

"Something seems off about this entire setup," Yumi said. "I'll need to talk to Hisa."

"Ok~su," Momo T. said. "Do you mind if I come with you?"

"You may," Yumi said. "I suppose you're still undecided about tankery, so perhaps my questions might help you find your answer."

* * *

Miho stood near the tankery garage, looking at the rusted Panzer IV inside. She saw it as symbolic of what she had heard about the tankery program itself; it had once been vibrant long ago, but over time, it had fallen into disuse. But it was possible to restore the tank and the team.

Hisa walked up to Miho.

"Here I am, Nishizumi-san," Hisa said, "I'm sorry for making you wait."

"That's all right, Treasurer," Miho said. "I was just looking at the Panzer IV we have."

"That should give you some idea about the kind of resources we have at our disposal," Hisa said. "I apologize for the president and Momo putting pressure on you like this, but we're especially desperate for talent, because… well, few of us have any real experience. I did tankery in the past, but I haven't even been inside a tank since I started high school."

"I see," Miho said. "But looking at this tank, it's not in good condition now, but it can be repaired and serviced. We will, however, need to find some people to crew these, as well as several additional tanks."

"Let me see…" Hisa said. "First, there's you, Isuzu-san, and Takebe-san. The student council, myself included, will be contributing our talents. A few friends of mine are joining- two are second-years, and three are first-years. The mahjong and volleyball clubs, having been disbanded, are considering joining as well, so that's probably nine more people there. The rest are harder to organize- there's four history-obsessed second-years, and six first-years. All in all, I'd say there are over 30 people to start with."

"That would be somewhat large for an ordinary club," Miho said, "But for a tankery team, we wouldn't be able to fully crew ten tanks- the minimum upper limit on a competition. We're not required to be able to field that many, but doing so would be practical. In order for this team to work, every member must be performing well, perhaps even better than those who are regulars at the strong schools.

"I'm aware," Hisa said. "My middle school's tankery team was relatively small, but it was larger than this. As for those with talent, while the vast majority of us have not done tankery before, there are a handful of people who have some experience."

"So those are the 'few other' people the public relations person mentioned," Miho said. "But why would they go so far to recruit me if they had people with experience?"

"The first reason is because, as we discussed just now, we are quite short-handed," Hisa said. "And second, we've heard about your history of experience in tankery, Nishizumi-san, both while you were at Black Forest and prior to that."

Miho's eyes widened in surprise. Her family's name was well known in tankery, but Hisa had implied there was more to her being recruited than just her name.

"Anyway, I'd like to introduce you to my friends, the ones with tankery experience," Hisa said. "They should be waiting near here."

Hisa led Miho to four girls who were milling about. One of the first-years was a girl with short brown hair. Her fellow first-year, a girl with pink hair in pigtails and large breasts, stood nearby. A short and somewhat feisty girl who was munching on a taco was the third first-year. The sole second-year was a green-haired girl with glasses.

"Hello, Treasurer," the brunette said. "You said you wanted to introduce us to someone?"

"Yes; everyone, I have someone I'd like you to meet," Hisa said. "This is Nishizumi Miho-san, a transfer student who is a second-year, and she, like you, has experience in tankery."

Hisa gestured to the brunette who had just spoken.

"Nishizumi-san, this is Miyanaga Saki, a first-year."

Hisa gestured to the pink-haired girl, then to the girl eating the taco.

"This is Haramura Nodoka, also a first-year, who has experience in tankery in the middle school level, and Kataoka Yuuki, also a first-year, who was with Nodoka in the middle school tournament."

Hisa finally gestured to the girl in glasses.

"Lastly, Someya Mako, a second-year; her grandmother was once a skilled tanker."

"Pleased to meet you," they said to each other, bowing.

"The fifth person I know, Akiyama Yukari, couldn't make it," Hisa said. "But I'm sure you'll meet her soon- she certainly wants to meet you."

"I'm glad to be working with all of you," Miho said. "I hope we'll be able to help the others get used to doing tankery."

"We will," Hisa said, "but first we'll see how far they can get on their own, and whether any of them need more help than others. We can't carry the team by ourselves, after all, and everyone has to be committed if we're going to succeed."

"That's good," Miho said. "I didn't want to have too much responsibility thrust on me right away."

"I understand the feeling, Nishizumi-san," Hisa said. "That's why I'm glad to have the girls right here around."

Saki, having pondered what she had heard for a while, decided to ask a question that she had ever since Miho had been introduced to her.

"Nishizumi-senpai?" Saki said. "Your name sounds familiar, like that of the commander at Black Forest."

"Yes, she's my older sister, and until last year, I went to school there," Miho said, her face turning slightly downcast. Virtually everyone knew of Black Forest and the Nishizumi school, and many of those people, whether knowingly or subconsciously, judged Miho by how she compared to them, rather than on her own merits.

But once she stopped being upset over being thought of in relation to her family, something clicked in Miho's mind as she thought about Saki's surname. Perhaps Saki was not merely another tankery enthusiast who knew all the big names in high school tankery. Perhaps, if Miho's theory was correct, her interest in Black Forest was of a more personal nature.

"The same goes for you, Miyanaga-san," Miho said, as Saki was digesting the information she had just learned. "Your name sounds like that of one of the vice-captains in the Black Forest tankery team, Miyanaga Teru-san. Are you, by any chance, related to her?"

Saki froze up, taken off guard by how quickly Miho had realized what she was thinking, and how directly she had brought it up.

"Onee-chan…" Saki said.

"Saki?" Hisa said. "Does that mean you're Miyanaga Teru's younger sister?"

"It does…" Saki said.

The girls gasped in shock. It was surprising to, in the course of a single day, find the younger sisters of Black Forest's tankery team's commander and one of its two vice-captains.

Miho, however, realized that the concept was nothing especially surprising, especially since she was the younger sister of Nishizumi Maho, the renowned commander of Black Forest's tankery team, and heiress of the Nishizumi school.

But then, Miho remembered something else Teru had once said- she had not thought much about it at the time, and had taken it at face value. But now that she had heard Saki say that she was Teru's sister, she had to rethink whether that statement was, in fact, true. In fact, she had assumed that Saki was Teru's cousin, a distant relative, or someone who simply had the same last name. The latter case was common; while Saki had never met either of them, there were two Suzukis at Oarai- one a second-year who enjoyed dressing as Julius Caesar, and another a third-year in the auto club- but who were not related.

"But…" Miho began, unsure of how to proceed. "Now that I think about it, Teru-san never talked much about her family. But the one time I asked her if she had any siblings, she said no."

Saki's face twisted in shock for a moment as she looked as though she was on the brink of tears.

"Um… I… I… Excuse me…" she said, before darting off as quickly as her legs could take her.

The remaining girls stared for a minute, taken off guard by Saki's reaction and sudden departure.

"Miyanaga-san!" Nodoka cried out, concerned, before rushing off to follow Saki. Nodoka was far from fleet of foot, especially in comparison to her energetic and athletic old friend, Takakamo Shizuno, and found it difficult to chase after Saki.

"Did I… say something wrong?" Miho said, as Nodoka ran out of sight.

"It's hard to say; you know about as much about Saki as I do, Nishizumi-san," Hisa said. "Saki never talked much about her family, so I had no idea something had happened between her and her sister in the past- or even that she had a sister."

"Still, I feel as though I should apologize," Miho said. "Miyanaga-san seemed quite upset."

"Go right ahead; I'd hoped to get started on discussing planning for the team, but that can wait until tomorrow," Hisa said. "You'll have to excuse me, though, I'm planning on meeting with a friend, and I'll see if I can meet up with Saki once I'm done. We'll bring the entire team together tomorrow, and search for some more tanks; tonight I'll brainstorm some possible places where we might find one."

"I'll see you then, Treasurer," Miho said, before dashing off.

* * *

Miho ran off in the same direction as Saki had ran, and quickly overtook the not very athletic Nodoka. Nodoka, while hunched over and panting, weakly pointed in the direction she saw Saki go. Miho headed in that direction, as did Nodoka when she caught her breath.

Eventually, the two came to Saki, leaning against the wall of the school; she had run until she was exhausted.

"Miyanaga-san!" they said together.

"Haramura-san… Nishizumi-senpai…" Saki said.

"Miyanaga-san?" Miho said. "I'm sorry I upset you by telling you all that."

"No…" Saki said. "I'm actually not surprised that you reported what you did, Nishizumi-senpai. The truth is, my sister and I aren't on the best of terms at the moment, because… because of something that happened in the past."

Miho could tell that there was something that Saki was reluctant to mention, because she was used to such omissions when talking about herself. And for that same reason, she knew better than to press Saki on it.

"You might wonder why my sister and I are at different schools; it's in part because our parents are currently separated, and I live with my father while my sister lives with our mother," Saki continued. "They haven't divorced, but they aren't talking, and my sister refused to speak with me at all the last time I saw her. Nothing will change if we don't talk things over, and I couldn't accept things the way we are, so I believed I had to find another way to reach out. I decided to re-enter tankery after all this time and… everything that happened back then, but now that I heard this, I have to wonder… will things necessarily go back to the way they were before?"

Miho and Nodoka remained silent. They knew that Saki was too well aware of how grim her family's situation to blindly accept their saying "yes," but that saying "no" would send her deeper into despair. More than anything, since all they knew about that subject was what Saki told them, they did not feel qualified to answer either way.

"But…" Nodoka began, catching Saki and Miho's attention as she broke the silence, "Even if you can't get what you want out of tankery, isn't the simple act of doing it worthwhile in and of itself?"

"What other reason would you have for doing tankery, Haramura-san?" Saki said.

Nodoka sighed before she began. Ordinarily, she would have said, "It's fun," and left it at that, but she believed Saki should hear the entire story. Perhaps if Saki knew that her doing tankery despite being discouraged from doing so, she would understand how much it meant to her. Perhaps the story would also be relevant and educational to Miho.

"My father does not like my doing tankery or this school," Nodoka said. "Yuuki and I have been friends since middle school, where we did tankery together and competed in the middle school-level national tournament. Yuuki's grades did not exactly meet the standards of schools like Black Forest, so she decided to come here, and I followed her there. But my father wanted me to go to Kitaniji Preparatory School instead- my mother's alma mater- believing that tankery is a waste of time and that the friends I make here are no good if I'm 'getting a second rate education' at a 'hick school' like this. My only chance of convincing him otherwise is by winning the tournament."

Miho immediately recognized Kitaniji Prep's name. She had considered applying there merely for the fact that it did not have tankery, but realized that it was far more oppressive and strict than even Black Forest was. Not only did it not have tankery, but it had no extracurricular activities without relevance for future careers, and an extremely high workload compared to other Japanese schools.

Miho also considered that Nodoka's problem was in some ways similar, but in some ways starkly different from her own. Both their parents disapproved of the way they lived, but while Miho's mother expected her to do tankery her family's way, Nodoka's father did not approve of doing it at all, seeing it as a mere distraction from her studies. Miho remembered that while her mother's attitude toward tankery had driven her away from it, there was a time when she felt free to do tankery as she liked so long as her mother remained pleased, and had considered herself relatively fortunate.

"So why are you so interested in tankery, Haramura-san?" Saki said, with Miho turning to her, her expression indicating that Saki had taken the words out of her mouth. "Why would you do it even in the face of such opposition from your family?"

"Because it's fun," Nodoka said, "Because it's a path to becoming a better woman. Because I'm good at it. And because many of the friends I've made over the years did it as well, which is why I'm glad that you decided to do it, too."

For Miho and Saki, it had been some time since they had met someone who was passionate about tankery without being obsessed with it or seeing it as a means to an end. For both of them, meeting Nodoka reminded them of a time when tankery was fun

"Haramura-san," Saki said. "I want to keep on doing tankery with you- so that you don't have to leave."

Nodoka smiled.

"Thank you, Miyanaga-san," Nodoka said. "And Nishizumi-senpai, I hope you come to enjoy tankery as much as I do."

"I hope so, too, Haramura-san," Miho said.

Saori and Hana approached, looking for Miho.

"Ah, there you are, Miho!" Saori said, walking up to her, with Hana walking by her side. "Hana and I were getting ready to go out for ice cream, and we wanted to find you before we did."

"I'll be along in a moment, Takebe-san, but first, I'd like to introduce you two," Miho said. "Haramura-san, Miyanaga-san, these are Takebe Saori-san and Isuzu Hana-san, two of my new friends at school and members of the tankery team. Takebe-san, Isuzu-san, these are Miyanaga Saki-san and Haramura Nodoka-san, two first-years I'm working with on the tankery team."

"Pleased to meet you," they said.

"I'll see you later, Miyanaga-san, Haramura-san," Miho said, as she walked off with Saori and Hana.

"Take care, senpais," Saki and Nodoka said.

Miho and her friends walked toward the ice cream shop.

"Are you still certain of your decision, Nishizumi-san?" Hana said.

"Yes, I still am," Miho said.

"Even considering all your… bad experiences with it?" Saori said, unsure of what Miho had been referring to, but knowing that she had, until midday, been reluctant to do tankery because of them.

"Miyanaga-san was in a similar situation, so to speak," Miho said. "But she, too, has her own reasons for getting involved in tankery, one of which seems to be Haramura-san's participation in spite of her father's opposition. The treasurer and her friends seem to be serious about tankery without being obsessed to the point at which they would stop enjoying it. Perhaps if I do it with them, with you and with the others, it will be different from the past, when I was pressured to win."

As Miho's new friends simply smiled and nodded, she decided to leave it at that. When they returned to school the next day, they would have work to do in getting the club going- obtaining tanks, helping the new members learn how to operate them and working together as a team- before they could stand a chance in the tournament. But for the moment, Miho simply decided to enjoy her new friends' company and leave those concerns for another time.

* * *

"I appreciate your coming to speak with me, Hisa," Yumi said, meeting with Hisa in the halls near the student council office. The two had been friends since around the time they arrived at Oarai as first-years. Yumi was Hisa's first friend at Oarai, and each considered the other one of their closest friends outside of their respective organizations.

"Not a problem, Yumi," Hisa said.

"Thanks, but first…" Yumi said, then turned to what, to Hisa, seemed like empty air before gesturing to her. "Momo, I'd like you to meet Takei Hisa, the Student Council treasurer and a friend of mine since my first year at Oarai; I mentioned her to you earlier. Hisa, you met Touyoko Momoko at the meeting."

"It's a pleasure to meet you~su," Momo said, appearing before Hisa as she and Hisa exchanged bows.

"Likewise," Hisa said, before turning to Yumi. "So, Yumi, is this about the mahjong club? It wasn't an easy decision; a lot of clubs were up for cutting, so we decided to choose some of the ones with… fewer members."

"Decisions like that never are easy," Yumi said. "I saw getting Momo and Senoo on board as the _minimum_ I would need to do to keep it going, not necessarily a guarantee. But why establish tankery now?"

"Sometimes we have to try new things, you know, and while old clubs get cut, new ones are established, especially in regard to new trends," Hisa said. "Like we said after showing the film strip said, there's the upcoming tournament."

Yumi frowned, not completely buying Hisa's argument. Hisa then continued.

"Granted, I do have my biases; you know that I've been lobbying for a tankery club since my first year here," Hisa said. "But I just manage the funds as treasurer, I don't actually decide what to spend on them; I have to work with the president and the others on the council before doing anything."

"I know the limitations of your position, or otherwise, you'd have established tankery in our first year," Yumi said. "But why _now?_ Unless I'm mistaken, the school is hardly in a position to support a club like tankery."

"You're not mistaken, Yumi," Hisa said. "But while we have not allocated much for tankery in the budget, we intend to re-establish our team with the resources and people at hand."

"…I see…" Yumi said, unconvinced. A pause followed as she considered what to say next. "Is it too late to sign up for tankery? Some of my club members might be interested."

"No, it isn't too late," Hisa said, rummaging through her bag and producing five registration forms. "There are registration forms here. You can fill them out and turn them in first thing tomorrow if you're interested."

"Thank you; I'll see you later, Hisa," Yumi said.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Yumi, Touyoko-san," Hisa said.

"See you then~su," Momo T. said.

As Yumi and Momo walked away, Momo T. turned to Yumi, seeing the look of discontent on her face.

"Senpai? Is something the matter?" Momo T. said.

"Momo, do you think what I've said is wrong?" Yumi said. "That if the school is in a difficult time budget-wise and cutting back clubs, it shouldn't be establishing tankery?"

"Not at all~su," Momo T. said. "But it didn't seem like the treasurer was telling us the entire story~su."

"My thoughts exactly," Yumi said. "I'm trying not to take it personally; Hisa and I reached an understanding long ago. I know that she can't let her friendship with me, or any other factors apart from what she can do and what is best for this school influence her decisions. I've also known that she's wanted tankery back at this school for a long time. But something seems odd about this, and I'm a bit upset that she's not confiding in me."

"If she did, what would you do, senpai?" Momo T. said.

Yumi shrugged, not knowing how to answer the question.

"That's a good question, Momo; my response would depend on what I heard," Yumi said. "But for now, it seems joining tankery will be the best way for us to re-establish our club, if we can give them the tankery victory they- I suspect mainly Kadotani and Kawashima more than Hisa or Koyama- want so badly. The others said earlier they'd also be willing to join. So are you interested in joining tankery with us, Momo?"

Momo T. did not even have to consider her answer. While mahjong was always an interest for her, she had only now found a friend who broke through the veil separating her from the rest of the world.

_"Kaori-senpai joined the club as a favor to her childhood friend, the club president," _Momo T. thought. _"Doing tankery is the least I can do for Kajiki-senpai."_

"Certainly, senpai!" Momo T. said.

"That's good," Yumi said, smiling for the first time since the encounter with Hisa began.

For some reason, even though her mahjong club had been disbanded for seemingly no good reason and its future was in doubt, hearing Momo accept her offer brightened Yumi's mood enough to make her forget everything else that happened on that day for the moment.

* * *

"How are you doing, Saki?" Hisa said as she returned to Saki and Nodoka, who had since rejoined Yuuki and Mako S. "Are you feeling somewhat better now?"

"I am," Saki said. "And I'm still willing to go as far as it takes in the tournament. Everyone else has their own reasons for getting involved- Haramura-san, Nishizumi-senpai, probably the others. And while my sister might be refusing to acknowledge my existence, I still will try to reach out to her. If it takes defeating everyone else until we reach the finals, then that is what I will do. It might sound unrealistic, but that's as far as I'm willing to go if necessary."

"Miyanaga-san…" Nodoka said, excited to hear Saki's resolve.

"It's not unrealistic to everyone," Hisa said. "I'd even say it sounds like a good goal."

Hisa looked off into the distance, out at the open sea, thinking about all the other schools that like Oarai, were on ships, and were also doing tankery. Oarai had a great deal of work to do before it could re-establish its tankery club, much less hope to challenge the schools with the strongest teams. But Hisa knew as long as there were those who were committed and ready to learn, there was hope for Oarai, and a chance for them to succeed.

* * *

Far away, across the sea, on the Black Forest Academy school ship, the Black Forest tankery club was making preparations of its own. They, the national champions for nine consecutive years, were redoubling their efforts to win this year after their unexpected loss the previous year.

Itsumi Erika, a silver-haired girl who was new to her vice-captain position, walked into the commander's office, where her co-vice-captain and the commander were discussing strategies and issues related to managing the team. She knew that her superior and colleague would want to hear this news, even if she barely considered it worth reporting.

"Commander, Teru, there's apparently a new school entering the tankery tournament this year- Oarai Academy."

Nishizumi Maho's brown eyes, the same color as her hair, briefly widened in surprise- was the school her younger sister chose to avoid tankery really going back into it the same year she arrived? Miyanaga Teru, a redhead, remained impassive, ignorant of how the sister she refused to acknowledge as such was going to school there.

"A newcomer?" Maho said. "We should be wary of them in that case. Our school has experience going against all the others, but we can't be sure how Oarai will fight."

"More like a bunch of newbies," Erika said. "I have to wonder what kind of tanks they dredged up, or even if they have enough tanks or people to field a full crew."

"Whoever the opponent is, we will have to win," Teru said. "After what happened last year, it would not even be funny if we lost to a school like that. Quite a few people would be upset with us, especially Coach Kubo."

"Yes," Maho said. "This year, many of our rivals have surely been emboldened; perhaps that is why a new challenger is arising. But all of us have our own reasons for wanting to win, so the only thing left is to do everything we can to ensure that we triumph again this year."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

This crossover between Saki and Girls Und Panzer was inspired by a few characters with some similarities and contrasting elements (for example, while Maho and Teru, the respective main characters' older sisters and main rivals, have some similarities, at a closer glance, they have a very different relationship with their sisters).

The fic will be written with the assumption that the readers don't know the events of the canon, partly out of personal preference (I find it better to foreshadow later twists, than assume the readers know them already), and partly out of a hope that this fic will appeal to people outside of those who have seen both Girls und Panzer and Saki.

Despite that, I decided to skip most of the first episode, save for the student council meeting (which seemed to be a good place to begin the story, after some exposition) to avoid retreading canon too much. When I encounter an event that happened in canon, I will try to put my own twist on it, especially if the Saki characters get involved (as a bit of a teaser, Teru will show up along with Maho and Erika in the scene in the tank cafe later on).

To keep characters with the same first name distinct from each other, they will have their last initial after their name. For example, Momoko "Stealth Momo" Touyoko is Momo T., while Momo Kawashima is Momo K. I chose this system over last names because there are many characters who share last names, and it might get confusing if I referred to them as such (for example, one Saki: Achiga-Hen episode summary for Episode 5 on Crunchyroll called Kuro "Matsumi" when her sister's on the same team- characters typically call Kuro by her first name or full name). However, Saki, Maho, and Hiroko (the latter of whom will appear later as a supporting character), will not have their initials after their names, since their roles are significantly greater than Saki Maruyama, Maho Yumeno and Hiroko Murohashi.

You may see relatively few Saki characters in Oarai's team (only about 10- the crew of two new tanks, to keep the team relatively small), but they will be somewhat more present among Oarai's rivals, where a team might have one to three named Girls und Panzer characters, and possibly five to ten named Saki characters (one or two tank crews). This is in part because I've found that some of Saki's rivals seem better developed and have more extensive backstories than most of the rivals in Girls und Panzer.

The reason why Hisa comes off as somewhat friendlier compared to Anzu and Momo K. is to reflect her approach to recruiting Saki in the Saki manga, where she uses more of a carrot than a stick to recruit Saki. I also suspect Yuzu was less than happy with Anzu and Momo K. trying to pressgang Miho, given her facial expressions throughout those scenes, which indicated displeasure.

I hope Nodoka didn't come off as too whiny about having to move; I mainly decided to make her more openly express her displeasure about being forced to leave the schools that she liked; she thinks about it quite often in Saki canon, but has, so far, not talked to anyone about it. She will eventually get some character development and gain some perspective on what she can do for herself.

I've also noticed that Girls Und Panzer characters have more latitude in school choice, so here's some food for thought. In canon, Miho, who is less confident than Nodoka is, and whose mother is much stricter than Nodoka's father (although both seem stern and emotionally distant to varying degrees), transfers to Oarai over her parents' objections. Only time will tell whether Nodoka will end up being forced to go this far, though.

Quite a few Saki viewers seem to believe that Saki's efforts to reach out to Teru are in vain, and she shouldn't even bother. They also tend to portray Teru as far more openly cruel to Saki than she seems. I've also noticed a wider trend of people feeling similarly when animes show a friend of the main character turning evil and the main character trying to redeem that friend, often going so far as to suggest that the main characters and their evil former friends were never truly friends even in the best of times.

How will Saki's quest to reconcile with Teru turn out? You'll have to read to the end to find out, but my goal is to portray Teru as something other than a girl who'd forget about her sister out of sheer pettiness and spite, even if she's not completely justified in how she treats Saki. You might see Teru as generally nicer than Erika, even if, unlike Maho, her aloof behavior toward her sister is not a facade that she is forced to adopt in her efforts for her sister's sake.

As the story goes on, there will be certain "Interlude" chapters, in which characters talk to others about their pasts, alternating between them telling the story in the present and flashbacks. Some of what is said in the present storytelling sections should be taken with a grain of salt, though, as characters' opinions might cloud the telling of their stories, or they might be talking about things that they didn't see first-hand or don't know all about.

I'm going to try something a little different as far as updating goes. While I know where I want to go with this story, how it will end, and have something over two thirds of it written into rough drafts, I've noticed that many fanfic writers here publish their stories while in the process of writing them, not on a chapter-by-chapter basis after they're complete. I was curious as to how updating as I complete each chapter might work for me. The updates may be somewhat more irregular and spaced further apart than those of my previous works, but I still intend to see this fic through to the end.

Edited to remove a few minor typos.


	2. Our Reasons To Fight

**Chapter 2: Our Reasons to Fight**

The next day, Hisa assembled all the people who had signed up for the tankery class, including relative last-minute signups like Miho, Hana, Saori and the former mahjong club, outside the garage where the Panzer IV was stored.

"Everyone, I'm glad that you decided to sign up for tankery," Hisa said. "Unfortunately, in order to get started with tankery, we will need to acquire more tanks. So far, we only have one, the Panzer IV you see before you."

"How many more tanks are we going to need?" Saori said.

Hisa looked over the assembled crowd, and did mental calculations.

"Based on my estimations, we'll need seven tanks to fit everyone in a tank, depending on each's crew size," Hisa said.

Hisa mentally conceded that there was a difference between the number of tanks that they needed in order to have everyone get a position, and the number needed to have a good shot at winning the tournament, but she decided that it was too soon to bring up that detail, lest she run the risk of preemptively quashing the students' enthusiasm. Thinking about the tournament was something they would have to do eventually, but if they did so now, they would be getting ahead of themselves. They did not have a team, just a collection of interested individuals- fewer than was recommended, at that.

"So where are we going to get them?" Miho asked.

"Form search parties and look around the school, see if any are laying around," Anzu said. "If you find a tank, you get first dibs on it."

"You really don't know where to find any, President?" Miho said.

"Nope!" Anzu said cheerfully.

Miho sighed. The answer did not surprise her, given that she had seen the single remaining tank when talking with Hisa the day before.

The assembled students split into groups. The four history fanatics went together. The mahjong club and volleyball team formed groups with their respective, albeit defunct, organizations. Six first-years formed a group of their own. Miho joined Hana and Saori, while Saki walked over to Nodoka, Yuuki K. and Mako, before being joined by Hisa.

"Mind if I come with you?" Hisa said to Saki, Nodoka, Yuuki K. and Mako S. as they set out in search of tanks.

"Certainly," Saki said. "I don't know this ship very well, and I tend to get lost easily."

"Just stay by my side, Miyanaga-san," Nodoka said. "I could even hold your hand if you would like."

"Thank you for the help, Haramura-san," Saki said as she took Nodoka's hand.

Hisa turned to Mako S., who had a concerned look on her face. One of the girls in the group was no longer accounted for.

"Something wrong, Mako?"

"Have you seen Yukari?" Mako S. said. "One would think that she, the only one really into tanks besides the two of us and the newcomers, would be all over this, but she vanished while you were talking."

"I think I saw her take off earlier," Hisa said. "She was following Nishizumi-san's group."

"That makes sense," Mako S. said. "She always talked about Nishizumi-do... I mean, Nishizumi-san, so she's undoubtedly bursting with excitement to meet her."

* * *

Miho, Saori and Hana looked around the parking lot near Oarai. Saori reasoned that tanks were like automobiles, so perhaps they could be found in the same place. Miho was unsure about Saori's logic, but decided to look there, considering it as good a place as any to start.

Akiyama Yukari, a second-year, followed the group. There was no formal assignment of groups yet- everyone mainly went with their friends- but she wasn't quite ready to reveal herself to Miho. She had few friends while growing up, and while she had managed to talk with Hisa and Mako S. about tanks, they were the ones who had taken the initiative to speak with her.

Yukari hastily hid herself behind the tree trunk, which was barely wider than she was. She realized at this moment that surreptitiously following someone around was a more difficult task when they were scanning every inch of their surroundings, desperate to find something.

As Miho began moving again, she glanced over her shoulder.

"You can come out now," she said.

Yukari stepped out, in front of Miho.

"Are you also in tankery?" Miho said.

"I am; my name's Akiyama Yukari," Yukari said. "I'm a second-year."

"My name is Isuzu Hana, and I am another second-year" Hana said.

"I'm Takebe Saori, Hana's friend and classmate" Saori said.

"And I'm…" Miho began.

"Nishizumi Miho-dono?" Yukari said. "Nice to meet you all!" Yukari then saluted.

Miho's introduction stopped short, as she was startled that Yukari knew her name. Did it also mean that Yukari knew her through her family's reputation? And what kind of person was Yukari expecting her to be?

The group proceeded into the woods. After traveling some distance, Hana, who was leading the group, stopped and took a whiff of the air.

"I smell something," Hana said. "It smells like oil and iron."

"Panzer vor!" Yukari said.

"Pants what?" Saori said.

"It's a German command, meaning 'All tanks, move out!'" Miho said.

Hana's scent of smell led them well, and they found a Pz 38 (t) abandoned in the woods.

"Wow, I didn't think we'd find a tank just like that," Saori said.

"Perhaps we got lucky this time," Miho said. "Maybe some of our teammates will end up having to search in obscure or hard-to-reach places to find tanks- if there are other tanks out there."

* * *

Isobe Noriko, captain of the now defunct volleyball team, surveyed the woods around her and her teammates, who were her companions in her search party. Noriko wore a white T-shirt and brown pants, while her companions wore their middle school volleyball club's uniforms.

"Nothing over here, either," Noriko said.

Kondou Taeko, a first-year whom Noriko had recruited along with the other two soon after her arrival, could not help but sigh. She was glad to have others to play with. She was not especially ambitious; while she practiced every day, she was willing to forgo competing in a tournament, recognizing that there were many out there who were better than she was. All she wanted was to have an officially recognized club, and having even that taken away from her seemed terribly unfair.

But Noriko, while expressing sympathy for and agreement with Taeko, said that Mutsuki, who was her classmate and friend, had recently suffered the same fate as she saw her mahjong club dissolved. Times were evidently difficult, and other clubs were having their funding reduced if they weren't shut down entirely.

Both Noriko and Mutsuki had reached a similar conclusion. Perhaps if they did well in tankery, they might be able to negotiate to restart their clubs. Perhaps if they stayed together as a team, hope for rebuilding their organizations would remain alive.

The four student-athletes, nothing if not determined, set out to look in the places too remote for anyone else to even think of attempting to go. Noriko reasoned that if a tank had been forgotten somewhere, it was likely some place few would go, and if they went there, they would find something without worrying about other search parties- whom she considered, in a sense, their rivals in looking for tanks- reaching it first.

As the group emerged from the woods, Noriko saw that not long after the wooded area ended, so too did the solid ground, and motioned for the group to stop.

"A cliff?" Noriko said, and she got down on her stomach and peered over the edge. "I think there's a cave down there. She stood up and turned around to face the others. "Girls, we'll need to rappel down in order to get in."

"That's all well and good, Captain…" Kawanishi Shinobu, a relatively stoic and level-headed first-year, said, "but aren't we missing something like… a rope?"

Noriko covered her face with the palm of her hand. She had a tendency to forget the basic steps needed to do things; unlike Yumi, she had forgotten that she needed more members for a full club, assuming that four people, a standard size for a volleyball team, was acceptable.

"Ok, we're going back to get the ropes," Noriko said.

* * *

The volleyball team returned with the ropes, rappelled down, and looked inside the cave. Inside was an intact Type 89; the team did not know what model of tank it was, but knew that, as it looked like a tank, it would be theirs to bring back to the group, and presumably, use in tankery.

The team let out a cheer- this was a difficult task in which they were unlikely to get what they wanted even if they succeeded, not unlike their plan to revive their club. They had succeeded, which gave them hope for the future.

"All right!" Noriko said. "Now we'll just have to call to arrange transportation for this."

Noriko opened her cell phone and dialed the student council's number.

"Student council president," Anzu said.

"President, this is Isobe," Noriko said. "I found a tank we might be able to use."

"Good work!" Anzu said. "Where is it?"

"Um…" Noriko said, "You know that area behind the playing fields?"

"Yeah, that rocky part, with the gorges?" Anzu said. Momo K. and Yuzu, listening in on the conversation, grimaced.

"That's it," Noriko said. "We found the tank at the base of a cliff, inside a small cave."

"Inside a cave?" Anzu said. "I don't want to know why they even put it there- or, better yet, how they managed to do so."

* * *

The History Club walked through the outdoor areas of Oarai that had once been used for tank combat, in hopes of finding a tank that had broken down or been abandoned in there, or at least, look in a place that their contemporaries were not searching.

Outside of history, the four girls had divergent interests before tankery brought them together. Nogami Takeko, also known as Oryou, was planning on doing ninjutsu, reasoning that it was closest to her interest in Japanese history. Sugiyama Kiyomi, also known as Saemonza, was interested in archery. Suzuki Takako, also known as Julius Caesar, was planning on choosing the Long Sword elective. Matsumoto Riko, also known as Erwin Rommel, was undecided, and would have penciled in "Tankery", if not for two reasons- she would have gotten in trouble for not choosing a mandatory elective, and because tankery was actually included. Once the other three saw tankery, they listened to Erwin's passionate argument that it was like being in a tank, and chose to join it to be with their friend and fellow history enthusiast.

"I think I see something," Saemonza said, peering into a small pond, before pointing there.

"In there?" Erwin said skeptically, but squatted down and took a closer look. Although the water was murky, she could see what looked like a large tank, even if the StuG that lay at the bottom of the pond was not technically considered one.

"Use these," Oryou said, producing some reeds that could be used to breathe underwater. "I was originally considering using them for the Ninjutsu course, but it's a good thing they came in handy somewhere else."

"I've got a lot of military equipment and other collectibles of that nature back at my place," Erwin said. "If we end up searching a bottom of a lake again, I'll show you my World War II-era diving gear."

Diving to the bottom of the pond, the four girls found the StuG. The members besides Erwin had their doubts about the quality of the vehicle, but they decided that they would take what they could get- perhaps their fellow teams were returning empty-handed and would take anything that fit the tournament regulations, so if they found a better tank, they could let one of the less fortunate teams have the StuG.

The four girls surfaced and emerged onto dry land.

"An odd place for us to find a tank," Caesar said. "For vehicles, bodies of water are meant to be crossed, like the Rubicon was, not meant to be the final destination."

"Sometimes tanks or even ships end up that way in spite of their crews' efforts," Erwin said, "like it did for the Allied landing craft at D-Day, or much of the American fleet at Pearl Harbor."

Erwin picked up her cell phone and used it to dial the number the student council had given them. They had done what they could, and now it was time to call in assistance for retrieving the tank they had found.

* * *

Hisa wondered what she could call her group of three first-years, a second-year, and a third-year. They had relatively little in common except their interest in tankery- although Saki's interest had only recently been revived.

"Let me see…" Hisa said, glancing at a photocopied records sheet. "It should be around here."

"What, exactly, are you referring to?" Saki said.

"According to our records, there should be a P44M Tas tank around here," Hisa said, as she approached a disused storage shed near the school that was padlocked. She produced a key from her pocket, one that had been in the Student Council's office for a long time without them knowing the lock for which it was made.

Hisa inserted the key into the lock, turned it, and removed the padlock. She opened the door to the shed, and saw the P44 inside, just as the records had indicated.

"Strange that it was abandoned in such a place," Mako S. said.

"The other teams are probably finding theirs in even stranger places, if they're finding tanks at all," Hisa said. "Think about it this way- if you're the type that litters, do you care where it ends up? If you did, you'd probably want it somewhere inconspicuous."

"That's kind of a fitting analogy, actually," Mako S. said. "I suspect that the tanks we'll end up finding turn out to be big pieces of garbage."

"I can't argue with that, Mako," Hisa said, "but my middle school had a less than impressive collection of tanks. And when... my circumstances... resulted in my having to go here, there's little I wouldn't have given to have that sort of tankery team back."

Mako S. simply nodded.

"Fair enough," she said. "And for all I realize our equipment's second-rate, I'm still excited to actually do tankery."

* * *

The former mahjong club searched for vehicles in the storage areas near the school. Yumi had done some research on tankery vehicles the night after she made her decision. She learned that it was almost impossible to find any that were new, and the prices for the ones that were used, even the ones that almost no one would want, were well beyond what Oarai could afford.

"I was researching whether there were any rules about using personal vehicles for club transportation and the expenses one would rack up while doing so," Yumi said. "And I found one club apparently used an old tank for transporting things- apparently the tankery club loaned them one that they weren't using."

Yumi opened the garage door and found a disused Cromwell.

"Looks like we found one," Yumi said. She looked it over. "I'm no expert, but while it's seemed better days, it doesn't look beyond repair. Still, the school must truly be hard up for money if we're resorting to this method of getting our tanks."

"As opposed to say, buying a tank second-hand?" Satomi said.

"_All_ tanks used in tankery are bought second-hand, from what I've heard," Yumi said. "On that matter, I wouldn't be surprised if Oarai sold most of its tanks in the past, after not doing tankery for so long."

As Kaori looked over the Cromwell, she could not help but feel nervous and overwhelmed. Despite her lack of experience with mahjong, she had joined the club as a favor to Satomi, who reassured her that mahjong was a simple game and that she needed only sign her name to the club roster if that was all she wished to do. Despite that, Kaori participated and was surprised when she got a Yakuman in her first game, albeit while mis-identifying the hand.

"_Just what have you talked me into getting involved in this time, Satomi-chan?"_ Kaori thought.

As Satomi noticed the nervous expression on her childhood friend's face, she turned back to Yumi.

"I've been thinking, Yumi-chin," Satomi said, "there is no 'luck' in tankery, is there?"

"There can be if your opponent blunders or encounters some unforeseen setback, like a mechanical failure, without your doing anything," Yumi said. "But I suppose that such things happen in all contests of skill, including mahjong. Here, we'll have to make our own luck, starting out as beginners and getting to a level at which we can defeat our more experienced rivals. Of course, that was our goal all along in mahjong, so we should think of it as a new contest."

Kaori let off a sigh of relief. Perhaps she was on a more even footing with others than she had been in the mahjong club, if not with her future opponents. The process of getting used to operating a tank would be a long and difficult one, but she would not be going through it alone.

* * *

The members of the last team had little in common with each other save for their being first-years. They ranged from the energetic and talkative Sakaguchi Karina to the enigmatic and silent Maruyama Saki, from the former tomboy Yamagou Ayumi to the girly Utsugi Yuuki, and from Sawa Azusa's steadfast and responsible demeanor, to Ono Aya's willingness to trust the advice of anonymous strangers on the internet.

The six girls sat in the Oarai Academy library, looking over books related to tankery and engaging in conversation while they looked through their books.

"Out of curiosity, Yuuki-chan, are you in my class?" Ayumi said.

"Are you referring to Kataoka-san, Ayumi-chan?" Yuuki U. said. "I think she was the one in your class, since I'm in 1-C. She's in 1-B, with you."

"Oh, right," Yuuki U. said.

"There's nothing in here about tankery," Azusa said, after closing a book that seemed to be a promising lead, but had nothing useful in it. "And while it is true that most of the 'likely' locations have been searched already, I think we're wasting our time searching here."

"So what do we do?" Karina said.

"I'd recommend searching in the warehouses," Azusa said. "If there's a leftover or neglected tank, it's sure to be somewhere in there."

"Alternatively, there might be some parts we could use to, I don't know, build a tank?" Aya said.

"Nice idea, Aya-chan, but that's not really feasible," Azusa said. "Even if we could make a tank, it wouldn't qualify if we wanted to enter a tournament; the rules say that only tanks created, or in the design phase before 1945 would qualify. I did a bit of research online about this."

Azusa had spent half an hour online the night before, on a wiki dedicated to tankery, mainly looking at the basic pages about the rules. This was a far cry from the knowledge some of the others had- not just Miho and those who had done tankery before, but also tank enthusiasts like Erwin and Yukari- but was significantly more preparation than most of Oarai had done.

"You know what tanks reminds me of?" Karina said. "Kelly's Heroes!"

Even Maruyama Saki's face lit up as she heard of a movie that she liked, despite the first-year not having said anything for the entire search.

"OH!" Aya said, excited. "That's a great movie! Do you watch movies a lot in your spare time, Karina-chan?"

"Aye!" Karina said. "I especially like Godzilla movies and others with big monsters…"

* * *

The freshmen looked in the old club houses, and found a building that none of the other teams had found. The door opened slowly, and the sound disturbed some birds in a nest.

As the freshmen looked inside, they saw a M3 Lee locked in the storage, behind a wire face. Their first task had been accomplished successfully, together. Many more would follow, which would be more difficult, but for now, their success was an encouraging sign.

Perhaps people no one expected to be able to win could succeed. Perhaps people with little in common could come together as a team. Perhaps tankery might be an area where they could win.

* * *

Hisa met up with the rest of the student council, in their office, and reported her findings.

"Nice, Takei," Anzu said. "While we're waiting for the retrieval, let's go make the phone call to the instructor;."

The Student Council sat around the phone on their desk, which had been set to speaker phone, and made the phone call. After speaking with a receptionist, they were forwarded to the office phone of Captain Chouno Ami.

"Hello, Instructor Chouno speaking," Ami said, picking up the phone.

"Hello, Instructor Chouno, this is Takei Hisa, third-year and student council treasurer for Oarai Academy," Hisa said. "I believe we spoke earlier, but I'll let my fellow Student Council members introduce themselves."

"Kawashima Momo, third-year and student council public relations rep," Momo K. said.

"Koyama Yuzu, third-year and student council vice president," Yuzu said.

"Kadotani Anzu, third-year student council president," Anzu said.

"We called to finalize the details of your coming in to offer tankery instruction to the students at Oarai Academy," Hisa said.

Ami went over the terms of the arrangement, particularly the relatively short-term nature of her tutoring. All of the details were ones that the Student Council had discussed and agreed upon before, and so the process went relatively quickly.

"Now, I would like to find out some things about your school and your students," Ami said. "To begin with, how much experience do most of your students have with tankery?"

"Except for me and a few others, none," Hisa said.

"Hmm…" Ami said, realizing that instead of helping people who knew how to operate a tank improve on their weaknesses, she was essentially starting from scratch. "There's only so much I can do in the time table I have allotted to me. When I went to the Nishizumi school, I studied for days before I even got into a tank. I spent months in officer training at the Academy. To put it bluntly, you will be at a severe disadvantage as far as experience goes, at least for this year."

"But this year is the only year we have to win the tournament, so we may as well try," Momo K. said, desperation and anger creeping into her voice. "Can't you do something?"

Anzu glanced at Momo K. momentarily, and interjected before Ami could respond.

"Don't mind the PR rep," Anzu said. "Remember, she's a third-year, like the rest of us."

"I see," Ami said. "One moment, please, I'm thinking."

The line went silent for a moment, before Ami spoke again.

"I might have a plan," Ami said. "It's a less than perfect idea, but one possibility would be to have all of you get into tanks and, under my supervision, engage in a mock battle. It would determine the levels of experience among you, as well as what certain people need to work on. Does this sound like something that would work for you?"

"I think so," Hisa said. "If we have little time to get everyone prepared, we can't waste any time getting going." She turned to the others on the Student Council. "Do you agree?"

"I do," Yuzu said.

"I can't argue with that," Momo K. said.

"Looks like it's our best shot," Anzu said.

"Then it's settled, then," Ami said. "Are you still OK with the appointment I mentioned earlier, in light of my suggestion?"

"We are," Hisa said.

"Excellent, I'll see you tomorrow," Ami said. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Instructor," the four Student Council members said, before hanging up.

"Seven tanks, about 30 students, and an instructor to teach the newcomers," Anzu said. "It's a start, at least."

"Of course, the tanks are relatively low-quality, the students are mostly amateurs, and the instructor's only staying around temporarily," Hisa said. "But we can only do what we can, and can only work with what we have."

* * *

The groups reconvened at the tankery garage after the tanks were brought back. Each of them had succeeded in finding an operational tank, if not one that was necessarily strong enough to stand against their foes.

Hisa smiled and nodded. There was obviously more work to be done; they could not succeed with the people and tanks they had at the moment. But for now, this was enough; while searching the school might yield additional- and perhaps better- tanks, by her estimation, they only had just enough people to crew the ones they had found.

"Ok, we'll hand out the tanks," Anzu said. "For the most part, each group will be grouped with the one they found."

"For the most part?" Miho said. "Shouldn't you do more than that?"

"That's a good question, Nishizumi-san, but unless anyone here is familiar with a specific type of tank, I can't think of any other way to hand out the tanks," Hisa said. "And from my calculations, most of them seem to fit the size of the groups that found them."

"Now that I think about it..." Miho said, "I did use a Panzer IV in the past."

"Interesting..." Hisa said. "Then, if it's fine with you, I'll give you and your friends the Panzer IV, while I'll give the Pz 38 to the rest of the Student Council. You will be A team."

Hisa turned to the volleyball team.

"The Type 89 will go to B team."

She turned to the history club.

"The StuG will go to C team."

She turned to the first-years.

"The M3 Lee will go to D Team."

She turned to the former mahjong team

"The Cromwell will go to E Team."

Concluding her assignments, Hisa turned to her fellow Student Council members.

"Then that leaves the P44 for F Team. The rest of the Student Council, in the Pz 38, will be known as G Team."

Each team walked over to the tank they had been assigned and looked it over carefully. Reactions ranged from mild interest to moderate excitement, with many being excited over the tanks that they were getting and few noticing the potential flaws. But all of them noticed an odd smell coming from the tanks, and none of them dismissed it as something that was naturally supposed to be there.

"Now that we've set up the tanks, I have an announcement to make," Hisa said. "Our instructor will be coming tomorrow. Before then, we'll have to clean out the tanks to prepare them for use in training."

The task of cleaning the tanks began- the tanks, had a long way to go before they could be counted on to perform on any level in the tournament, just like their tankers. Said task was beyond the capability of amateurs, though, so the Auto Club was brought in to do the final maintenance on the tanks once their crews had finished cleaning them.

Hisa looked over the tanks. From one perspective, it had been longer than she had liked since she had last done tankery, and this was hardly the return to tankery she had envisioned. But this school had become her home, and she was not only glad to return to competitive tankery, but determined to see Oarai win the tournament.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Yukari brought her team to a Tankery club aboard the Oarai school ship.

Saori was somewhat surprised that a ship for a school that had been without tankery for two decades would have a club, but Yukari reminded that there were people who, as in many sports, enjoyed watching and collecting merchandise for tankery without playing it; Yukari had, until recently, been one such person.

Of course, Yukari realized that there were others like her out there, and was further reminded of this when her group encountered Hisa's, at which point Yukari and Mako S. saw each other.

"Oh, hey, Yukari, it's a surprise seeing you here," Mako S. said.

"It's nice to see you too, Someya-dono!" Yukari said.

"You two know each other?" Miho said, glancing at Yukari, then at Mako S.

"We were classmates in our first year," Mako S. said. "And Yukari was one of the few, apart from the treasurer and some of the newcomers that was interested in tankery."

"It was nice having other people to talk about tanks with, even if we couldn't do it," Yukari said. "At least a few people have been waiting a long time for tankery to come here."

_"That's not the only thing you seem to be excited about, though,"_ Mako S. thought. _"Particularly since a certain someone is here."_

A TV mounted high on the wall played sports news. There was no channel that was exclusively for tankery, but from time to time, customers could see news about tankery there.

As the anchor, a young woman in a suit and tie, finished discussing the latest cycling tournament, she segued into the next story, about Nishizumi Maho, Miho's older sister, being nominated MVP for the previous year.

The broadcast shifted to a reporter, Nishida Junko, a woman with long blue hair and glasses who was also wearing a suit and tie. She was standing and interviewing Miho's sister, as well as her two vice-captains.

Miho recognized the redheaded girl near her sister- Miyanaga Teru; her face was familiar, even if the expression on it was not. She was Saki's older sister, although Miho did not initially know that Teru had a sister, and Saki did not initially know that Teru had all but legally disowned her.

Miho found Teru's radiant smile to be off-putting, given that, from Miho's experience in the year in which they knew each other, Teru was typically a somewhat gloomy, bitter, reserved and taciturn individual. Miho never knew Teru well, but with the discrepancy between Teru's public face and private life, and between her denying having a sister with Saki's claim that Teru was her sister, Miho felt as though she knew even less about Teru than before.

After a moment, Miho recognized the silver-haired girl along with Maho and Teru, someone she had only spoken with a handful of times. The girl's name was Itsumi Erika, and she was a candidate for the vice captaincy of Black Forest's tankery team. Erika was among the fiercest critics of Miho at the time of her departure.

Miho realized that she would likely face her former comrades, those who had until recently been undefeated, sooner or later, if she hoped to progress all the way through the tournament. As much as the prospect of facing Black Forest unnerved Miho, that was precisely what Saki was hoping would happen to fulfill her wish to confront her sister, and it would almost certainly be a prerequisite for Hisa's goal of winning the tournament.

Tankery seemed promising to Miho, after her having avoided it for so long. But it seemed as though in order to help her friends achieve their goals, she would have to face things that were difficult for her. She wanted to help them, even knowing what she would have to face in the process. But if she would ultimately have to face her past and the reasons why she left tankery behind, _could_ she do what she had to do as well as her friends needed her to do it?

Saori, noticing the distress within Miho caused by the conflict between her own personal fears and desire to help others, reasoned that if she could not completely dispel those doubts, the least she could do was distract Miho from them.

"Why don't we go hang out at your place, Miho?" Saori said.

Miho was cheered up by the invitation. She knew it was likely merely a respite from her problems, but welcomed the support of her friends. She knew she would need their help in the days and weeks to come.

* * *

Saki and her friends had also seen the broadcast, and realized that it said practically nothing about Teru. Not only was Teru not the one being interviewed, but she was putting on her public face for this.

"So you saw your sister on television, Miyanaga-san?" Nodoka said as she walked home with Saki and the others

"Yes," Saki said. "And Nishizumi-senpai's as well." Saki was still unable to understand why her sister had changed so much, but she knew that, after a certain point about three years ago, she had never seen her sister smile once. Was her sister lying to the public in ways beyond denying having a sister?

"I would say that's quite a coincidence," Nodoka said, "but given that Black Forest tends to attract some of the best students in tankery, it seems to make sense that those two would go to school there."

Hisa nodded in agreement.

"Black Forest is quite prestigious, even considering recent events, " Hisa said. "We will most likely have to defeat them at some point if we wish to win."

"But it seems Pravda was successful in doing so last year," Nodoka said. "Would it not be possible that someone could do the same?"

"Pravda's no slouch, either," Hisa said. "Their commander is also somewhat famous and very talented, as are some of their higher-ranking members. And there are a few other schools that could provide a reasonable challenge to Black Forest- a group that doesn't include us yet."

For Nodoka, there was more reason than ever to want to succeed against Black Forest and all other challengers. She wanted to be able to stay at Oarai. She wanted Saki to be able to reconcile with Teru, as well as reunite their family. She wanted to lead her friends to victory. She wanted to show everyone, especially her father, just what her school could accomplish.

_"I can't argue with what you're saying, Treasurer,"_ Nodoka said. _"But if we lose, I'll have to leave you and my other friends behind, and nothing will change between Miyanaga-san and her sister. That's why I refuse to believe that winning is impossible."_

* * *

The next morning, Miho hurried over to the tankery assembly. She had been running late, but would perhaps have been just barely on time if she had not stopped to help a girl who seemed to be more than half asleep, get to school. The girl's name was Reizei Mako, and she shared a given name and class with Someya Mako. While Sono Midoriko, better known as "Sodoko" warned Miho against helping Mako R. in the future, Miho silently disagreed and resolved to persist in the future; not for Mako R.'s unspecific promise to repay Miho at a later date, but because she did not believe in leaving anyone behind.

"I was wondering where you were, Miporin," Saori said as they waited for the instructor.

"I'm sorry I was late," Miho said. "I was detained."

"But it seems as though the instructor is as well," Saori said.

The sound of a plane flying low over the Oarai campus caught the assembled girls' attentions, some of whom recognized it as a C2 air transport. The C2 air-dropped a Type 10 MB, a tank that looked far more modern than any of those the girls had found out of the rear cargo bay. Some of those who were more ignorant about tankery assumed it was a model that the schools with more funding had that Oarai did not. Those who were knowledgeable about tankery knew that since only models from World War II were allowed, the instructor's tank would be at a vast advantage over any other tank in the competition.

The tank rolled backwards as it landed, tipping over a red Ferrari.

"That's the headmaster's car!" Yuzu said.

The tank shifted into reverse, crushing the front of the car beyond any hope of repair, before advancing forward. The hatch opened and Ami emerged, removing her helmet. and revealing short and neatly combed dark hair. She wore the dress uniform of the JGSDF, and Saori could immediately tell that she was a woman.

"You tricked us," Saori muttered accusingly while glaring at the Student Council.

"No, we didn't," Anzu said with a sly smile. "We never said what gender the instructor is."

"Both men and women are combat instructors for the JGSDF, including for how to operate tanks," Hisa said. "But among those instructors who lend their services to schools like ours, virtually all of them are females who have also done tankery in high school. For that matter, professional tankery coaches are practically entirely female. I figured her gender went without saying."

Ami got out of the tank and the students assembled before her as she approached, carrying a rolled-up map in her hands.

"I introduce to you, Instructor Ami Chouno," Momo K. said.

"It's nice to meet all of you," Ami said pleasantly. Several of the assembled girls let off sighs of relief, having expected a harsh and strident drill sergeant.

Ami turned and found a familiar face among the crowd. She then stepped forward and approached Miho.

"Are you the younger daughter of Instructor Nishizumi?" Ami said, and Miho nodded reflexively. "The Instructor has done a great deal for me. Is your older sister doing well?"

"Yes..." Miho said, hesitantly. There were many things that she did not feel comfortable talking about, but she could not easily dodge a question of this nature.

Murmurs of conversation erupted among the assembled students. Not all of them knew Miho's name, but those with a passing familiarity of tankery had heard of the Nishizumi school.

"The Nishizumi school?" someone said.

"The Nishizumi school is the tankery school with the longest history," Ami said. "It's also the one where I trained before going to the academy."

Miho's expression and heart sank as she heard this. She knew many considered her family to be at the pinnacle of tankery, but saw their ideals as ones to which she could not hope to live up. And now, it seemed as though her family name had followed her here, and she was still being judged by it.

"Instructor!" Saori hastily interjected. "Are you popular with the guys?"

"Well..." Ami said. "I'd rather say that I hit all the targets I intend to- 120% of the time!"

Miho smiled, thankful for Saori changing the subject.

While Saki was relieved that Saori had managed to deflect the attention away from Miho and her family, she had to wonder why she was not recognized. Was it because Teru, while a skilled high-school level tanker, was not associated with a school the same way Miho and her sister were tied with the Nishizumi school? Or was it because people did not know who Saki was?

"_She didn't recognize me,"_ Saki thought _"Is it because my sister isn't as famous as the rest of Nishizumi-senpai's family? Is it because neither my mom, nor my sister, nor I are affiliated with the Nishizumi school in any way? Or is it because my sister has convinced everyone that she's an only child?"_

"I know it's sudden, but we'll be starting with a practice battle, so that you can get some experience operating the tanks, and we can gauge your skills," Ami said, distracting Saki from her thoughts. "Each of your tanks has a built-in system that, when it takes enough damage- which mainly from enemy fire, but also can come from other causes- shuts down and declares you out of the game. The object for this practice match is to be the last tank operational."

Ami unrolled a map of the nearby practice area, with marks for A through G on it, denoting each team's starting location.

"I understand that this map depicts the area in which you can practice tanks, as I discussed with your Student Council earlier," Ami said. "Head to your respective starting points and I will give you more directions once you're there.

The common question on the minds of most of the tankers was how they would even move the tanks they were supposed to bring to their various destinations.

"_To some, the instructor does seem to be jumping into things, and I'd have agreed if I were starting out just now,"_ Hisa said. _"But from here on out, it's sink or swim. Everyone, it's time to show us what you can do"_

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows.

Stalker117, you will often see character development in the chapters between the tank battles, especially in certain characters' Interludes. Other characters who are watching the tank battles might change as a result of doing so, and there may be even times when some characters come to a realization mid-battle.

I would also like to thank severstal and Stalker117 for giving me ideas about tanks, namely, the ones that Hisa's group (which will be known as Octopus Team) and Yumi's group (which will be known as Sparrow Team) will use.

Whenever I run into a scene from canon, I tend to try to make it different somehow, often by working in the Saki cast (for example, having Saki see her sister along with Miho's), or having the "tank finding" scenes expand more on the personalities of the searchers (GuP secondary characters tend to be less well developed than Saki's secondary characters).

The exact terms of Ami's teaching Oarai are not stated, but I infer that it's a temporary position, and used this as a way of suggesting why she appears to be hands-off (TV Tropes' character entry seems fairly critical of her doing so).

I've noticed that in spite of Saki's feats in her canon series, she isn't as well known as Nodoka is, even though Saki seems to be a significantly better player. This will be replicated to some extent here, even if Nodoka isn't as famous as some other tankery players in this fic.

One thing I'm relatively subtly emphasizing here is how some of the teams start out as relatively out for themselves (not to a degree that would prove noticeably detrimental to Oarai's efforts, but still present), which you can see in canon to a lesser extent; for example, the volleyball team is initially concerned about getting their team reinstated. Of course, this attitude will change over time as they participate in tankery more.

Interestingly enough, there doesn't seem to be an "Action" genre on this site. I found the choice of "Adventure" for tank combat fics here to be a bit strange, but then realized it was the best option. Also, oddly enough, I intended to have the characters listed in this order- Miho, Saki, Maho and Teru- to list their relative importance, but for some reason, the Saki characters got listed first.

Updated to fix a few mistakes regarding the dates of allowed tanks, and to add the names of the transport plane and Ami's tank- thanks to Stalker117 for pointing this out.


	3. Trial By Fire

**Chapter 3: Trial By Fire**

As the teams prepared for their practice battle, they knew that the first step was getting to the starting point. This was partly a requirement to set up, and partly to determine whether the teams could operate their tanks at the most basic level. If they could do that, they could move on to the next step of a simulated battle. If they could not, then preparing would be all the more difficult.

Some were closer to being ready than others, particularly those who had done tankery in the past.

* * *

Hisa's team worked out which people would take which roles. Hisa volunteered to be commander, having led her school's team in the past. Nodoka, the most experienced of the others, agreed with the decision, and chose to drive the tank. Yuuki U. chose to be loader, since she had done the position in middle school. Mako S. and Saki then had to work out who would be the gunner and who would be the radio operator, but when Saki casually mentioned doing gunnery before, and Mako S. mentioned an interest in operating radios, Saki was chosen to man the gun and Mako S. decided to operate the radio.

Nodoka sat at the controls of the P44, and started the tank up. Within about a minute, the P44 was moving forward.

"You move the tank quite well, Haramura-san," Saki said. "You seem to be an experienced driver."

Nodoka blushed at Saki's compliment.

"Thank you, Miyanaga-san," Nodoka said. "In the past, I was mainly tank commander, but I dabbled in the other roles."

"She certainly does well at her position," Hisa said to Saki, "although she isn't one of those I'm concerned about- that would be the other teams. Gunning, loading, operating the radio and commanding are all things that must be done well, but if the drivers can't even get to their positions, this entire mock battle won't even start."

* * *

Miho's group was not as lucky as Hisa's.

Miho, the only one with tankery experience, refused to be commander and, by drawing lots, Saori was chosen as commander and radio operator. The rest of the positions were filled somewhat randomly, with Miho loading, Yukari gunning and Hana driving. Yukari confessed that she had no practical experience as a tank operator, and reasoned that if all the other teams sans Hisa's were moving at about the same low skill level, they would need a good loader and gunner to get in the first shot, since their opponents were unlikely to escape or outmaneuver them.

_"I'm a bit disappointed that Nishizumi-dono won't take charge,"_ Yukari thought. _"But with her around, we should have an advantage over the others. And even if I spent more time wishing for a chance to do tankery than actually preparing, I might be better off than most of the others."_

* * *

The freshmen, looking at their tank, began to consider the possibility that they had gotten in over their heads.

"I'll try asking online," Aya said, and input a query, saying "How do I start an M3 Lee?" into a site in which viewers asked technical questions.

One reply, sent within about a minute of her making the post, read "Google it, dumbass!". Unbeknownst to Aya, the tankery website's questions tended to be more complex, difficult and technical in nature, such as how to deal with a Porsche Tiger's engine, or how to prepare certain tanks for the cold. She also missed the part in the site's guidelines that told her to consult the list of Frequently Asked Questions first, lest she waste the posters' time with a question that she could look up on her own.

"Hmmm..." Azusa said. "Maybe they're expecting us to have done some research beforehand."

"Didn't you take a look at the website earlier, Azusa-chan?" Ayumi said.

"I did, but I skipped the details on how to drive the tank," Azusa said. "They seemed fairly technical, making them a bit much to digest along with the other information. I didn't know which position I was going to perform, or which tank I would operate. And I assumed the instructor would show us."

"Well, it's better than what I've done so far," Aya said. "And I know just the position for you, Azusa- our commander. You seem like the most reliable of us."

"Ok, I guess I'll do it," Azusa said, fearing that her leadership would be a case of the blind leading the blind.

A beep from Aya's cell phone caught her attention, as she was notified that she had a response.

"Ah, I got a response," Aya said. "And it seems like a real one this time."

The crew entered the tank and got into their positions. Azusa assumed the command position. Karina sat down in the driver's seat. Ayumi and Aya took the 75mm and 37mm cannons, respectively. Maruyama Saki silently went up behind Ayumi and tapped her on the shoulder before making a "loading" motion. Yuuki U. sat near Ayumi, and, looking at the unmanned radio, realized that it would be her responsibility as well.

"So what did it say?" Karina said.

"Ok, Karina-chan, follow my lead," Aya said, as she began to direct Karina on how to drive the tank.

As the M3 Lee clumsily drove forward, Aya and Azusa were the first to realize that there was a difference between reading about operating a tank and actually doing it. They suspected that they had little chance of actually reaching their point, much less defeating any enemies.

_"Is everyone else, excluding the treasurer's crew, this out of their depth?"_ Azusa thought.

* * *

The former mahjong club, while grappling with the controls, took a moment to discuss their strategy in the practice match.

"So we need to be the last tank standing?" Satomi said. "Sounds simple enough- tankery doesn't seem all that hard, after all."

"We have a few targets that should take precedence, if feasible," Yumi said. "Hisa's tank is one, but I'm also concerned about Nishizumi."

"Still upset about the club being shut down?" Satomi said teasingly.

"It's not that," Yumi said. "Hisa has experience tanking, so she presents a threat. Nishizumi could also teach her teammates how to do it, so it's likely that Isuzu, Takebe and Akiyama will be more effective than most of us."

"Then, might it not be best to hide, letting the treasurer and Nishizumi-san fight each other and the rest until all but one of them is defeated, at which point we take out the victor while she is unaware?" Mutsuki said.

"That's a sound approach, Tsuyama, and we might end up having to do something like that if we're the flag tank in an actual match," Yumi said. "But keep in mind that this is about gauging and ultimately improving our skills. How well are we doing now and what do we most need to work on? If we actively participate in this practice battle, it will be best for all concerned. So, Kanbara, take us to the starting point and be ready to engage the enemy once we're there."

"Got it," Satomi said. She moved the Cromwell forward, out of the garage. She took to driving more quickly than most of the other neophytes, but still saw that it was quite an adjustment.

"It's quite sensible of you to drive this cautiously, Satomi-chan," Kaori said.

"It's more like I'm not yet up to the point at which I can drive this like I usually do," Satomi said. "For most of my early time driving, I ended up playing it safe."

"So you can't quite figure your role out, either?" Kaori said. "I'm having trouble figuring out the controls on the radio."

"You don't have to worry about them for now, Senoo," Yumi said. "The radio will be useful for communicating with our allies, but for now, every tank here is an enemy. You'd probably do best keeping your eyes out for the enemy."

Satomi smiled. Yumi was not president of the club, but she was essentially considered the de facto leader because of her intelligence and leadership ability. She had become quite skilled at mahjong despite a rough beginning, and they hoped that Yumi would use those skills to lead them to victory in tankery.

* * *

The Volleyball team knew that they were getting into a very different game than what they were used to. They would be one tank against six others- each of whom was as much an enemy to each other as they were to the volleyball team- and would later become one small part of a larger team. But some principles remained the same, mainly that they would have to work together as a team in order to win.

"Why don't you lead, Captain?" Akebi said.

"Sure," Noriko said. "Although I don't really know much more than you three about how this thing works. I'll try loading, too, since it seems like a simple job, and I heard it was the one teams would have to double up on if they only had four people. If I'm just sitting here giving you orders, I seem to be the best person for it."

"I'll take the gun," Akebi said. "You just point at the target and shoot, right?"

"I'll drive," Shinobu said.

"Then that leaves me with radio operating, even if I don't know how," Taeko said.

"None of us know our roles, Taeko; I suspect even gunnery's more complex than Akebi thinks," Shinobu said. "I know handing out the roles like this seems kind of arbitrary, but I don't suppose you know a better way, Captain?"

"I don't," Noriko said. "I doubt any of us besides the treasurer's team do."

* * *

The History Team was one of the few teams with a clear idea as to who should lead them. The other three members, remembering Erwin's discussing tank battles earlier, unanimously chose her as tank commander.

"You should command, Erwin," Caesar said.

"Really?" Erwin said. "But aren't you our president, Caesar?"

"I am, even if I initially declined it...rather dramatically," Caesar said. "But I honestly think you'd do a better job, Erwin."

"The treasurer approached me last year about this," Erwin said. "I told her it sounded like a good idea, but I didn't have any experience in a tank."

"I don't command legionnaires, either," Caesar said. "But isn't this the chance you've always waited for, to emulate your hero?"

"It is," Erwin said. "Let's show the others what we can do."

* * *

All seven of the tanks soon reached their positions, and Ami, standing in the observation tower, used a pair of binoculars to confirm that each tank was where it was supposed to be.

"All tanks are in position," she said. "The match will commence shortly; each of you should try to take out as many of the enemy's tanks as possible without being taken out yourselves."

"Sounds simple enough," Momo K. said with a grin.

"It's just as you said, senpai," Momo T. said to Yumi.

"There is one more thing to mention before we start, though," Ami said. "Tankery is a sport, and as such, involves good sportsmanship and respect between opponents, whether they are from your school or another. All matches begin and end with a bow. So, all players- bow!"

Everyone in the tanks complied.

"Now let the match begin!" Ami said.

* * *

Hisa sat in command of the P44. as the match started.

"Are you sure we should put almost all the people with tankery experience in one team, Takei-senpai?" Saki said, sitting at the main gun of the Sentinel. "That would seem to put us at an advantage in this practice battle."

"It might be a good way to test how the relative amateurs hold up against those with some experience," Hisa said. "Besides, having a single person with experience in a tank in which no one else knows how to do their jobs doesn't seem entirely ideal. The more experienced people will help the less experienced ones out, and the non-experienced crews will grow together."

"Well, I'm mostly just someone who read about tanks a lot," Mako S. said. "Yukari's about my level, and Nishizumi-san might just be even better than you, Treasurer."

"You shouldn't underestimate me, either, and the same goes for Yuuki," Nodoka said, as she sat at the machine gun while glancing at Yuuki, the loader.

* * *

Immediately after the start of the game, Yumi commanded the Cromwell to go forward, down the road, while keeping an eye out for the rival teams.

"The first order of business is to get away from this position," Yumi said. "I suspect everyone else memorized the other tanks' starting locations on the map and will head for the closest one when it starts. We may not know where the enemy will go first, but I'd rather not be in the place where they expect us to be."

"Well, it wouldn't be a problem if Momo could make the entire tank disappear on us," Satomi said.

"It doesn't work that way~su," Momo T. said. She was certain that while, for example, people who didn't notice her also didn't notice what she was wearing, thus preventing her from becoming clothes stuck to an invisible girl, any vehicle with her in it would merely seem uninhabited, rather than invisible. For example, while she waited for her parents in the family's car, they had no problem finding the car, although they didn't notice Momo T. until she greeted them.

"Someone's coming," Kaori said, looking out a hatch and seeing the Pz 38, the closest of the tanks, approaching. "It seems they can see us with Momoko-san after all." Kaori turned to glance at Momo T. but looked in an entirely different direction, as she was unable to see her.

"I'm over here, Kaori-senpai," Momo T. said.

Meanwhile, the other Momo, also a gunner, was gleeful about the prospect of facing the enemy.

"All right!" Momo K. said. "Our first kill, coming up!"

As Anzu lay back, snacking on a potato, and Yuzu drove into position, Momo K. loaded a shell and aimed the gun in the general direction of the Cromwell. If a straight line were drawn from the Pz 38 to its target at the instant Momo K. pulled the trigger, her shot would have hit. But the shot did not reach the opposing tank the moment it was fired, nor did it follow the same path Momo K. predicted, nor was her intended target in the same position when she fired.

The Pz 38 fired its cannon, the shell missing the Cromwell by several meters.

"Momo-chan, you missed," Yuzu said.

"Don't call me Momo-chan!" Momo K. snapped as she futilely tried to press the trigger again, forgetting that there was not a shell loaded in the gun.

While the Pz 38 was firing on them, the Cromwell, having faced a hostile response from the Pz 38, decided to respond in kind.

"It looks like they're not just fixated on Hisa and Nishizumi," Yumi said. "Let's take them out."

"Loading complete," Mutsuki said, and Momo aimed and pulled the trigger.

A moment later, the shell from Yumi's tank hit the Student Council's tank, causing it to raise the white flag.

"They got us!" Anzu said, having sat back and eaten potatoes for the entire encounter.

"Good shot, Momo," Yumi said.

"Thank you, senpai!" Momo T. said, blushing. Even if it was not in the field of mahjong, as she initially expected, she was glad to be of use to Yumi.

"Who was in that tank, anyway?" Kaori said.

"The student council, sans Hisa," Yumi said. "Don't get cocky; we only took out one of the amateur teams. Although, I do know why the Student Council needs our help; they'd never make it in an actual match."

"To be honest, Kajiki-senpai, neither would most of us, at least at this point," Mutsuki said.

* * *

The M3 Lee picked an ambush spot near some trees, hoping for a tank to come their way. Azusa reasoned that if they could get a single shot off on the tank- since she heard that for the most part, a well-placed shot took a tank out of the match- they would be able to defeat their enemies without risking coming under attack.

Unfortunately, Azusa had underestimated their rivals' ability to see through deceptions and ambushes of this nature, and overestimated the ability of her crew to make that one shot.

The freshmen noticed a tank coming from behind, not in the direction they had anticipated or hoped an enemy would approach. While less than knowledgeable about the tank models, they recognized the tank as the one the treasurer had chosen, and knew that she was one of their most dangerous enemies. Every one of them had more than a passing familiarity with tankery, and almost all of them had actual experience. What could they hope to do against an opponent like that?

"That's the treasurer's tank!" Ayumi said.

Aya quickly fired her 37 mm cannon at the P44, but missed.

"I missed!" Aya said.

The crew of the M3 Lee began to panic, knowing that they had lost their best, and possibly last, chance to defeat their enemy.

"Retreat while we still can, Karina-chan!" Azusa said.

Karina frantically tried to work the controls, but while she heard the sound of the engine revving, and the right treads running, she realized she was not moving forward.

"It's stuck!" Karina said.

A shot from the P44 struck the M3 Lee in the back, and caused it to raise the white flag. Moments later the track snapped from its desperate attempt to escape from the patch of mud where it was stuck, damage that would have caused the tank to be declared inoperable by the same system that had just caused it to raise the white flag.

"So that's why they didn't try to get out of the way or turn to face us," Mako S. said, noticing the broken track after the impact of the cannon blast and the raised white flag. "I feel kinda like we're stealing a little kid's lunch money, even if they're about Saki, Yuuki and Nodoka's age."

"Yes, it was a bit of bad luck for them," Hisa said, "but they'll have to learn how to roll with the punches, and prevail in situations where no one expects them to do so."

"Who else did you say had tankery experience besides Nishizumi-senpai?" Nodoka said.

"Well, Erwin was interested in tankery, but hadn't done it before," Hisa said. "She and her friends might be fairly well prepared for this compared to most of us."

"And where are they now?" Saki said.

"I recall that they're close to A Team," Mako S. said, having memorized all the starting positions. "They're in for a rough fight if they're up against Nishizumi-san."

* * *

The Panzer IV rushed along the path, pursued by the StuG. The densely wooded sides of the trail made it difficult to circle around their attacker or go anywhere but forward.

Suddenly, they saw a girl, sprawled, supine on the ground in their path, and brought the tank to a halt. Mako R., sensing the noise, leaped onto the tank with agility and dexterity that she would not usually have upon waking up. Miho, peering out the top of the tank, recognized Mako R.

"You're the girl from this morning," Miho said.

"That's right," Mako R. said. "Nishizumi-san, was it?"

"Yes, that's my name," Miho said. A shell fell near their position. "Quick, get inside!"

Mako R. climbed into the tank.

"Wait, what's Mako doing here?" Saori said

"I was hoping to catch a nap, Saori," Mako R. said. "But there's too much noise outside."

"It's the middle of a class," Saori said. "But I suppose class time is nap time for you."

"Is she a friend of yours, Takebe-san?" Miho said.

"Yes, we've known each other since we were little," Saori said.

Another shell landed near the Panzer IV, its loud blast cutting off the conversation.

"Orders, Takebe-dono?" Yukari said. "Sooner or later, the StuG will hit us!"

"Looks like the StuG is still pursuing us," Miho said, as a shot struck a nearby tree. "I dealt with one in a match in the past. You can take them out easily if you attack from the side, since they don't have a turret."

"Miporin, could you please take over?" Saori said, as the tank pulled into a wide clearing. "You actually seem like you know what you're doing."

"All right…" Miho said reluctantly. "Isuzu-san, take us out of here as quickly as you can."

"I am trying, Nishizumi-san," Hana said. "But this is far more complex than I had anticipated."

"Let me see…" Mako R. said, as she glanced through the manual. "It doesn't seem that tough."

"Well then, why don't you try it, Mako?" Saori said, somewhat flippantly.

"Yes," Hana said, in a greatly relieved and entirely sincere tone. "Please help me with that, Reizei-san. Perhaps I would be better at the gun."

"All right then, I'll load," Yukari said. "Nishizumi-dono can command."

Hana climbed up to the gunnery seat, while Mako R. climbed down to the driver's seat. After several seconds of people climbing and moving to their new posts, Team Anglerfish was ready. The StUG prepared to fire again, but the Panzer IV quickly moved out of the way.

"It would seem the enemy has had a change of leadership," Erwin said. Not unlike the former mahjong club, Caesar was the actual club president, but Erwin was the leader of the tank, having been chosen for this position because she knew much about tank combat.

"But for this new leader, it's the Ides of March," Caesar said.

Much to their horror, they discovered that the Panzer IV was making its way behind them, moving along a narrow path between the trees. Most of the novices in Oarai would see an impassable barrier, but Miho saw a path to victory, and an opportunity.

Yukari quickly loaded a shell into the tank, and Hana took aim between the trees. The instant she found her target, she pulled the trigger.

Oryou quickly tried to turn the tank around, but a shell from the Panzer IV struck it in the side in mid turn. It stopped moving altogether and threw up a white flag.

* * *

The Type 89, its crew having taken a little while to learn how to operate it, drove forward, toward the Panzer IV. They were somewhat surprised that A Team had strayed so far from its starting point, as they had expected the M3 Lee to be nearby, but they decided to go to work on their quarry.

"The object of the game might be to be the last tank standing," Noriko said as she noticed the Panzer IV straight ahead. "But will we let the other tanks have all the fun?"

"NO!" Akebi, Shinobu and Taeko yelled together.

"Light her up!" Noriko said. "Take down as many of the remaining tanks as we can!"

The machine gun of the Type 89 began firing, its crew realizing that they would have to hit their enemies, but not realizing how strong a hit would be required to take out the Panzer IV. Its bullets harmlessly bounced off the Panzer IV's frontal armor.

Yukari swiftly moved to load another shell and Hana fired it at the Type 89. The heavy shell did far better against the Japanese tank's weak armor than its machine gun did against the Panzer IV, and it was taken out of the game.

* * *

The crew of the Cromwell scanned the forest for approaching enemies, and saw the P44 approaching.

"There they are," Yumi said. "Everyone, stay sharp; this is our chance to go up against an experienced team."

Yumi glanced at the the frontal armor of the P44, realizing that it was possible that their shell would not penetrate, and if they tried and failed, they might not get another chance.

"Momo, hold your fire until you get an opening to attack the weaker side armor," Yumi said. "Kanbara, take us around."

The Cromwell turned around, and approached the P44 from the side. Momo T's shot zoomed toward a spot where the armor on the P44 was relatively weak, but hit a tree instead.

Seconds later, Saki pulled the trigger as the Cromwell tried to circle around the P44 for another shot. The shot, leading its target, struck the Cromwell in the side and disabled it.

"I'm sorry, Senpai," Momo T. said. "I wasn't able to hit them in the right spot."

"They're good," Yumi said in a reassuring tone. "They were able to strike a moving target."

"Wa-ha-ha," Satomi joked. "I drive around all the time, and manage to not hit all those big cars on the road, going so slowly compared to me. Strange that a small shell would hit me so easily."

"Well, they're trying to get us, and it's impossible for us to outrun a bullet," Yumi said. "But in any case, we- and the other teams- should be doing at least as well as Hisa's team is now, whatever our reasons for doing tankery are. Since we're not up to that level, we'll have to work our way up there."

"And what if another tank manages to defeat the P44?" Mutsuki said.

"That would be ideal for all of us," Yumi said. "If some of us can rise to the occasion and defeat an experienced team, then perhaps the rest of us can do the same."

* * *

The Panzer IV rolled along the path, and spotted the P44 off in the distance.

The P44, keeping an eye out for its opponents, also spotted the approaching Panzer IV. Both recognized that it would not be possible to take their respective opponent off guard or count on them making an amateur mistake.

"They're approaching," Hisa said. "Saki, get ready to take them out before they arrive. Yuuki, load a shell."

Yuuki K. quickly loaded a shell, although Saki noted that she was unsteady compared to the previous shots.

Saki rotated the turret toward the Panzer IV as it approached, hoping that the shell could defeat the Panzer IV from the front. But she accidentally pulled the trigger too early, before the turret rotated into position, and the shot missed her opponent.

"I missed..." Saki said dejectedly, fearing that her mistake had cost her team their chance at victory.

"Please calm down, Miyanaga-san; this is only a practice match," Nodoka said. "Yuuki, get ready to load another shell."

"I'm trying, Nodo-chan," Yuuki K. said, as she barely slid the shell into place.

"Yuuki, is something wrong?" Hisa said.

"Yuuki gets tired later in tankery matches," Nodoka said. "And as a result, she can't load as quickly."

Nodoka neglected to mention that Yuuki K. claimed that "taco power" hastened her loading; it was at its peak immediately after Yuuki K. ate a taco, and waned over time. While Nodoka decided to humor Yuuki K. by playing along with her superstition, she didn't believe her at all. After one failed attempt to convince Yuuki K. of the obvious truth that as the match went on, she got tired, Nodoka decided to give up on doing so.

But the one thing Yuuki K. and Nodoka agreed upon, and Saki, Mako S. and Hisa were now discovering, was that Yuuki K.'s loading speed did decrease over time. They could only make the most of their shots, and hope that their rivals would not take advantage of this window of opportunity.

Seeing the Panzer IV approach off to the side, Saki took a deep breath and calmly tried to aim her shot, knowing that this might be her last shot before the Panzer IV counterattacked and defeated them.

But she never got to make the shot.

The Panzer IV's shot burst forth as it emerged from between the trees, and struck the P44 in a vulnerable spot on its side, towards the back. The tank shook from the impact, and the controls locked up. The white flag rose, taking the P44 out of the game, and resulting in Miho's victory.

"Are you sure Nishizumi-senpai's teammates were amateurs?" Saki said, amazed.

"I believe so," Hisa said. "And that's why I'm hopeful. If the rest of the teams are able to rise to the occasion like Team A did, we might yet have a chance."

Saki smiled. She had lost this round, but had lost nothing in the process; in fact, it seemed to indicate that Oarai had some potentially talented tankers among them. Perhaps she would enjoy returning to tankery, however her efforts to reach out to her sister turned out.

* * *

Ami looked over the battlefield with her binoculars from her vantage point in the observation tower. Seeing the blast as the shell struck the P44, she glanced over in that direction and zoomed in with her binoculars, noticing the white flag on the P44.

"F team is down," she announced to all the teams. "This practice match is over. As only A team is still operational, they are the winners. A recovery vehicle will be dispatched to pick up the disabled tanks"

Ami smiled. She knew that Oarai had a long way to go, but she also knew that she did not start out as a skilled tanker, not when she was in school, and not even when she first entered the academy. Still, the Oarai students had taken well to being in the tanks, and as such, could move on to more advanced maneuvers in combat. If they could bypass the preliminary training, there was less risk of people losing interest and dropping out. If they learned the basics this quickly, they could possibly become competent in tankery matches very soon. If they were able to learn and work well on their own, Ami could leave once her assignment ended without any regrets.

Ami had many students, both military and civilians, and she knew she was not the sole teacher to any of them. But she could not help but take a liking to Oarai's initiative. Perhaps the tournament would be considerably more interesting with them around.

* * *

The Oarai students assembled outside the tank garage, with Ami addressing them and the Student Council at her left.

"Good work out there, everyone," Ami said. "You've all demonstrated an ability to use your tanks in combat to various degrees; A and F Team did especially well. This means that, for the most part, you don't seem to need basic instructions."

"Thank you, Instructor," Hisa said. "What would you advise having us practice next?"

"Next, I would advise helping your teammates with anything that they're less than clear about," Ami said. "You can talk to me; I will answer your questions and give you pointers. But while training will benefit all of you, I suggest getting an actual training battle against opponents outside your school, after you've had time to work on your skills."

"I'm already working on that," Hisa said. "We're not quite at where we want to be yet, but so far, we're doing better than I've expected."

"My thoughts exactly," Ami said. "This concludes practice for today."

Ami then saluted, and the Oarai students bowed while saying "Thank you very much!"

* * *

Hisa called a private meeting with Miho and her crewmates of the Panzer IV to discuss their performance, in the Student Council office. Hisa, sitting at her desk, reassured them that there was nothing wrong with how they had done, and she was asking them for the benefit of the other teams. She then mentioned that, after a certain point in the battle, which she approximated was just before C Team was defeated, their performance markedly improved.

"...I see," Hisa said. "So you've had some people switch positions mid-battle, then." Hisa wrote on a piece of paper, and had three columns. The first was a list of positions. The second was who was in them at the start of the battle. The third was who was in each position at the end of the battle.

"It would be excellent if you could stay in the positions you chose after Reizei-san joined your crew," Hisa said.

"Communication sounds like my thing," Saori said. "I can text fast and use a cell phone well."

"Um, I'm not sure how relevant those skills would be," Miho said. "But in terms of talking to others, you do seem best for the job, Takebe-san."

"It would be my pleasure to operate the gun," Hana said. "The sound of it firing was so pleasing to my ears. I'm also good at concentration, which might help with aiming."

"That would work, Isuzu-san," Miho said. "You did well with the gun late in the battle."

Miho was glad that two of her friends had found positions that they liked and were good at, but wonderd what would be left for her if the two among her group who were acquaintances to her felt the same way.

"I'm happy as long as I'm in a tank," Yukari said. "Assuming Reizei-dono drives, which she seems to be a natural at, that leaves loading for me. Nishizumi-dono, you seem to be our best commander, so please lead us."

Miho nodded. Commanding a tank was not her first choice, but she had done well in the position during the practice battle, and everyone else seemed happy. While Miho considered the position of commander to be stressful, she realized that if none of her teammates were thinking of the possibility of her letting them down, neither should she. If she could adopt that mindset, being a commander- and doing tankery in general- would be enjoyable.

While the other girls smiled enthusiastically, Mako R. frowned and shook her head.

"Sorry, this isn't going to be a permanent thing for me," Mako R. said, starting to walk off. "I already signed up for calligraphy."

"That's all well and good," Saori said. "But what about your credits? You won't graduate at this rate due to how often you're late."

Mako R. stopped in her tracks, as Hisa quickly called up the attendance records, the window of which she had kept minimized since before Mako R. entered the room.

"As a member of the student council, I can confirm that Takebe-san is correct about your attendance, Reizei-san," Hisa said, preferring to call Mako R. by her last name and an honorific out of a sense of politeness toward a girl who was little more than an acquaintance to her, as well as to differentiate her from her close friend Mako S. "But I can also confirm that you will get your tardies erased if you do tankery and do well."

Mako R. paused for a moment to reflect on what would happen if she were held back, and sighed. Clearly Hisa had come to the same realization that Mako R.'s grandmother had- that if the cost for slacking off was high enough, it would be enough to get her in line. Mako R. believed that there were many things Hisa most likely did not know about her, but conceded that on this regard, she was right.

"Fine, I'll do tankery as your driver," Mako R. said. "I do owe Nishizumi-san a favor, after all."

"Sounds good," Hisa said, handing Mako R. a form. "Just fill this out- it will only take a minute- and when you're done, I'll have you transferred to tankery by tomorrow."

Miho smiled. Mako R. was hardly an obvious candidate for a good tanker, but when the situation demanded it, she performed well. She hoped the same would apply to the rest of the novices if they went on to the tournament and faced more opponents who were of Hisa's team's caliber, if not superior to them.

Still, Miho had enjoyed herself in the match. It had been a long time since she had done a tankery match with nothing on the line, and Miho was able to fight without worrying about what losing might cost her. She hoped to never lose sight of this or stop enjoying her matches, no matter what she encountered in the battles to come.

* * *

**Author's Notes  
**

I'd like to thank Stalker117 for beta reading this battle scene.

Miho's claim that she's bad at driving seems to fly in the face of Little Army, in which she can drive competently (Hitomi's the only really bad driver in her group), which is one reason why I didn't include it here. This could be considered a case of characters being less than objective about themselves; Miho seems relatively meek and humble, so it wouldn't be unlike her to underestimate her abilities, just like she seemingly has forgotten about the times she enjoyed tankery in the early episodes.

I decided not to include the part in which the Panzer IV is seemingly saved from falling off the bridge by a shot from the StuG that just barely avoided disabling it, since it seemed somewhat contrived that the StuG failed to defeat it, and to avoid a complete retread of canon.

It's interesting how the presence of another strong team results in the training battle being less one-sided than in canon. I also decided to write it in such a way that it was more of a free-for-all, rather than everyone ganging up on Team A.

It may be somewhat difficult to keep track of the temporary crew names with the letters, so until the callsigns are handed out, I'll most often refer to the groups as "the crew of (tank)", or the organization; for example, Rabbit Team is "the crew of the M3 Lee" or "the first-years."


	4. A Small Step Upward

**Chapter 4: A Small Step Upward  
**

Over the next few days, the Oarai students settled into their new elective of tankery, getting used to practicing with their tanks. The radio operators practiced communicating with each other. The loaders worked to increase their loading speed. The gunners worked on aiming at targets. The drivers practiced staying in formation, as well as traversing difficult terrain. The commanders directed all their subordinates in their respective tasks.

Most of the team was at the point at which they could perform their roles at a basic level, if they had not already started there. In the process, they had also gotten used to tankery enough that it no longer seemed intimidating to them. The team was still small and largely inexperienced, but for the moment, they seemed to be committed and competent, which Hisa considered to be as much as she could hope for at the moment. More work would need to be done in the future, but the first step was establishing a team that would stay together and improve over time, before they determined what needed improvement.

But while none of the teams talked to each other about it, most of them came to a common realization- their tanks looked drab and boring. It was already clear to them that they were going to be crewing those tanks for a long time, so they decided to make them theirs in a sense.

* * *

"Why are we here?" Mako R. said as the crew of the Panzer IV walked down the aisles of a local department store, in an area that sold cushions, pillows, and other home supplies. Practice had ended for the day, and Saori had proposed doing some tankery-related shopping.

"That's a good question, Reizei-dono," Yukari said. "When you said you knew just the place to go to find what we needed for tankery, Takebe-dono, I thought we were going to go to a tankery shop." Yukari had to admit that she was surprised by the idea of Saori knowing of a good store that sold tankery-related products that she did not know about, and was surprised when Saori had an entirely different idea of what products were useful for tankery.

"But we do need some of this stuff," Saori said. "Some cushions would make the tank more comfortable, if we had these slippers, we could walk around inside the tank without getting it dirty."

"Nishizumi-dono, surely you understand that we don't need all this, right?" Yukari said, desperately hoping Miho would agree with her.

"Well..." Miho said, considering her response. "It is true that most tankers don't take cushions or stuff like that into a tank, but... would it really be that bad if we did things differently in an area like this?"

Yukari found herself unable to answer the question. She had to concede that the tankery team was different than she had first anticipated, but while she knew enough to realize that it was very different from other tankery teams, Miho had a valid question- was it bad if it was different? It didn't serve a practical purpose, but did it necessarily detract from the tank?

"At the very least, we should paint the tank a different color than this drab color, so it looks different than the others..." Saori said.

"At the very least!?" Yukari said. "That's worst of all! The tank _has_ to be this color to be difficult for the enemy to see!"

As Saori sighed dejectedly and accepted Yukari's point, Miho remained silent, letting Yukari's argument speak for itself. She was hesitant to get into arguments with others, especially when one side had essentially already won.

_"I honestly hope none of the other teams are having to deal with ideas like these," _Yukari thought.

* * *

The next day, Yukari stared in shock at the way the other tanks were painted as she saw them assembled near the school. The M3 Lee was painted a hot pink. The Pz 38 was painted gold, and shone in the sunlight. The StuG had reds and other bright colors on it, as well as flags above the tank. The Type 89 had a white "GUTS" kanji on it.

E Team, however, did not decorate their Cromwell, nor did F team decorate their Tas.

"I'm glad to see some others had some common sense, Takei-dono, Kajiki-dono," Yukari said to Hisa and Yumi.

"Kanbara was going to put up something like 'Bring Back The Oarai Girls' Academy Mahjong Team', but decided against it because she couldn't fit it all on one side of the tank while making it legible," Yumi said.

"That's not the main problem I see with that…" Yukari said.

"That's what I said to her," Yumi said. "And luckily for us, Momo and Tsuyama also concurred with me, while Senoo essentially abstained. I don't claim to be anything like an expert on tankery, but I assume that keeping things minimal, and not so...garish... is the best way to go, since the colors are meant to help conceal the tanks."

Miho couldn't help but smile and chuckle softly.

"Nishizumi-dono?" Yukari said.

"I never thought tanks could be turned into something like this," Miho said. "It looks like the others had a lot of fun decorating."

"Fun..." Yumi said contemplatively. "Now that you mention it, it _was_ fun going up against everyone else in our practice match. Our mahjong club didn't start off by making prospective members go into ranking matches; we typically show prospective recruits a few games of mahjong, and if they like it, they're invited to join and play with us regularly. Perhaps the teams who painted their tanks aren't too different than I was at the start of high school, or like Senoo is now, although even she wondered if painting the tanks like this was a good idea."

"Yes," Hisa said, reminded of the time when she was new to tankery. "The last thing we want is to make tankery intimidating and forbidding to the relative neophytes that comprise almost all of our team. As such, I don't think there's any harm in having some fun for now, while we can. In fact, since we often learn from our mistakes, now would be the time to make those mistakes."

Hisa left unspoken the implication that Oarai would soon progress to the next level, as well as the fact that a great deal of effort would be required to take them there. One step that was necessary was finding an opponent outside the school, one that would show Oarai where it lay on the food chain of the national tankery competition. Ideally, the opponent would be strong enough to give Oarai a challenge, but not so strong that Oarai would be completely crushed.

Luckily, Hisa had an old friend she could call in for help on this matter.

* * *

Far away, across the sea, Fujita Yasuko, a professional tanker and coach of the BC Freedom Academy tankery team, was sitting in her office when her cell phone began to ring. She recognized the caller ID- "Takei Hisa," and wondered why her long-time friend would call her out of the blue.

"Hello?" Yasuko said.

"Hi, Yasuko, this is Hisa," Hisa said. "I'm calling in a favor."

"I'm listening, go ahead," Yasuko said.

"You know Oarai Academy? We managed to get our tankery club going again, and I was hoping we could set up a training match between our two schools."

"That's good to hear," Yasuko said. "But why exactly did you choose my school?"

"Because you and I go back some ways," Hisa said. "Because I know your school, unlike a more confident school like Pravda or Black Forest, would welcome the training opportunity. Because your school isn't one we could defeat easily, but isn't so strong it would be completely hopeless."

"That's a good idea; I _have_ been looking for opponents that our team could face for a practice match, more or less the same kind that you're looking for," Yasuko said. "When are you available?"

Yasuko and Hisa then began to discuss the particulars of the arrangement. They came to an agreement on the time, date and location of the match, as well as the rules of engagement.

"Now, I know you said these terms are fine with you, and that the rest of your Student Council gave you the authority to make the decision here, but will they be fine for those under your command?" Yasuko said.

"They'll have to be," Hisa said. "They should give people some idea of what they're getting involved in, and what they're up against."

"Quite true," Yasuko said. "You probably know better than I do the kind of people you have under your command."

"I do, but this will not just be a test of their abilities, but also a diagnostic of sorts for my benefit," Hisa said. "I'll see you and your team Sunday, Yasuko."

"See you then, Hisa," Yasuko said, before hanging up.

Yasuko then stepped out of her office and approached Arakawa Kei, a second-year with short brown hair who was the commander of BC Freedom's tankery team. She wore a white dress shirt, a dark blazer, a plaid skirt and a blue necktie, the typical BC Freedom school uniform. She enjoyed wearing the brown jacket and trousers of the tankery uniform, as one of her favorite parts of tankery was dressing up as military officers from the past, but when the time came to change back into her school uniform, she thought of it as her "dress uniform."

"Coach?" Kei A. said. "Have you had any luck finding someone who would be willing to have a practice match with us?"

"I did- or better said, someone _found us,"_ Yasuko said. "A friend of mine from Oarai Academy let me know that they're getting their tankery program restarted."

"That's good to hear," Kei A. said. "I'm hoping this will get the team out of their rut, to get them to realize how far they have to go before they can win, but also that they can get things done if they try. The chance to practice actual combat against an enemy trying to win will be a good learning experience, for both our students and those of our opponents."

"That's only one part of it," Yasuko said. "I think this team needs a wake-up call to get them to take things seriously. And unless I'm mistaken, my friend from Oarai thinks the same thing about her team."

"Why do you say that, Coach?" Kei A. said.

"An untested team, going against a larger and more experienced team right off the bat?" Yasuko said. "There's only one way this can end, really. And yet, that might be an important lesson in and of itself. On the other hand, if we have trouble against a team like that, it might show us how far we have to go, as well."

* * *

At Oarai, the students continued to practice their tankery skills, including moving individually and in formation, shooting, reloading, communicating on the radio and working together as a team.

Hisa noticed that the team seemed to be getting better at their roles, as well as in teamwork, to a lesser extent. But she had to wonder- had they improved enough? And how would they fare against others in the field?

"Everyone's basic skills seem to be improving," Ami said to Hisa as they watched from the observation tower.

For this practice session, Nodoka served as temporary commander of the Tas, swapping positions of gunner and loader with Yuuki K.; the team noticed that she did quite well as commander, partly as the result of having more experience than virtually everyone else by virtue of having commanded in the past. Hisa realized that Nodoka and the rest of her crew would be significantly better than most of their teammates, but hoped that more training and experience would reduce that disparity.

"I've noticed that, too," Hisa said. "I'm also glad to see people are sticking with tankery and putting in the effort to improve."

"By the way, I'd like to let you know that I got your voicemail regarding the practice match with BC Freedom," Ami said, "and I like the arrangement you set up. Even if I'm not officially anything more than a temporary instructor, I'll head to the match to watch and see how you do, so I can help you in practice."

"Thank you very much, Instructor," Hisa said.

"By the way, when's the match, exactly?" Ami said.

"I'm glad you asked," Hisa said. "I also came up here to let you know that I'd gotten the details finalized." Hisa showed the time, date and location. "It's on slightly short notice and a bit early in the day, so I hope it's not a problem for you."

Ami couldn't help but chuckle at Hisa's comment.

"Thanks for your concern, Takei-san, but I've gotten up at far stranger hours in my time in the JGSDF, and went places on much shorter notice," Ami said, reflexively gesturing at herself. "I'd be more concerned about whether your friends and teammates can make it."

"They'll have to," Hisa said. "I spoke with BC Freedom's coach, commander, and student council, and they said that's the only time available in the near future that works with our schedule."

* * *

After practice, Hisa gathered the team in front of the tankery hangar.

"This may be sudden," Hisa said, "but we are going to be having a practice match with BC Freedom this coming Sunday. We will be pulling into port for the match; come to the meeting spot at the exit ramp of the ship by 6 a.m., and we will show you to the battlefield itself. Does anyone have any questions?"

Mako R. raised her hand.

"Yes, Reizei-san?" Hisa said.

"Does it have to be at 6 a.m.?" Mako R. said. "It seems impossible for humans to get up so early."

"It has to be at that time," Hisa said. "We have to pull into port at the right time, as does BC Freedom. We had to get a time that fit with both of our schedules, and one that allowed the game to start early enough; some tankery matches last all day."

Mako frowned and started to walk off; she had always found it difficult to wake up early in the morning to go to school. Not only was this was clearly going beyond that level, but Hisa had given the implication that this would be a regular occurrence.

Hisa started to open her mouth to remind Mako R. of her need for credits, but Saori spoke first.

"You're not seriously thinking of quitting, are you, Mako?" Saori said. "If you do, you'll get held back and end up having to call us 'senpai.' And if that happens, your grandma will hear about it and not be happy, to say the least."

Mako R.'s face turned pale in horror. Her grandmother had a fierce temper, and no patience for Mako R.'s excuses.

But Mako R. had no intention of letting her grandmother down, as there were some things that she feared more than her grandmother yelling at her.

"Fine, I'll do it," Mako R. said. "I'll wake up at 6 a.m."

"You'll need to get up in time, though," Hisa said, "so it's probably closer to 5 a.m."

Mako R. groaned slightly.

"Ok, 5," Mako R. said.

Saori let off a sigh of relief.

Miho glanced around. She suspected that Mako R. was not the only one who was displeased about the idea of getting up in time for a 6 a.m. meeting; she imagined that others were going to reluctantly comply, or didn't think there was any point in protesting after hearing Hisa's explanation of the reasons why she had chosen that time. Miho imagined that there would be attrition, that some members of the team who signed on at the start of the year would not be in the team at the end, as their commitments were tested and some were found lacking. But even so, and in spite of what she had once decided in the past, Miho hoped that as many members of the team as possible, Mako R. included, kept doing tankery for as long as they could.

* * *

The commanders of each team, as well as the entire student council, sat in a meeting room, discussing their strategy against BC Freedom. Hisa had collected information on BC Freedom from recordings of their matches. Yasuko had told her that it would be best for all concerned if she and the others gathered relevant information on them by themselves.

As Hisa drew up the plan- drawing the enemy forces into a trap and shooting down as many as she could, she could not help but feel a sense of unease. It had been almost three years since her last tankery match, and she was beginning to wonder if she had lost her touch. She still knew how to give orders, and had some idea of how to load the main gun, fire it, drive the tank and operate the radio. But she wondered if she forgot the small things, such as taking into account how long it would take to load and fire, the strategies the enemy might be expecting, and how to react to surprises. Perhaps that was why Miho had defeated her. And perhaps, taht was why Miho might be a better commander.

"So that's the plan," Hisa said. "Does anyone have any questions or concerns?" Miho raised her hand. "Nishizumi-san?"

"I'm not so sure about this plan," Miho said hesitantly. "It's a simple plan, one that we should be able to follow at our level of skill, but one that BC Freedom will likely see through given their experience. It might help, but we shouldn't assume that it's the only thing we need to win."

"Well..." Hisa said, pondering Miho's suggestion.

"SHUT UP, NISHIZUMI!" Momo K. angrily interjected, cutting off Hisa. "If you think you know things better than we do, then you should take over as commander!"

"I…I wouldn't go as far as to say that…" Miho said timidly. She had proposed what she did as a suggestion, not as a challenge to Hisa's command, and was unprepared to stand by her statement if it was thought to be the latter.

"I _would_, Miho." Hisa said with a reassuring smile. "You not only have the most experience, but the most current and relevant experience. I commanded my tankery team in middle school, but it was three years before I set foot in a tank again- the same amount of time has passed since Saki was last in a tankery team. Nodoka's been doing tankery since a young age, but off and on, and while she's commanded a tank before, she hasn't commanded an entire team. Yuuki got into tankery in middle school, but hasn't done much other than load. Mako's read a lot about tankery but doesn't have much practical experience."

"So you're passing the torch to Nishizumi-chan, Takei?" Anzu said. "I'm all for that, but let's just make sure Nishizumi-chan is properly motivated." She then turned to Miho. "If you win, you'll get a nice prize. If you lose… you and your teammates will perform the Anglerfish Dance!"

Miho had a somewhat blank stare as she heard it, while the rest of the girls gasped in horror.

"I'm new to Oarai, but even I heard about it," Azusa said. "If you perform the dance, they say you can't get married."

"This seems fairly serious for a practice game," Noriko said.

"Yes, I was under the impression that this was essentially a test of our ability to work together as a school, and an opportunity to face an opponent outside our school," Yumi said.

"It's a step above our first practice battle between the teams," Hisa said. "That was to test your capabilities, more of a way to measure your skills than a battle you had to win. Here, we're going up against an opponent that typically makes it past the first round, but doesn't get much farther due to facing strong opponents. If we can easily defeat them, we would be at a good position to go far in the tournament. If not... then we'll know how much improvement we need and where."

"Very well, then," Miho said. "Despite raising the aforementioned concern about this plan, I don't necessarily disapprove of it. It's a simple plan, which may be the only kind of plan that we can successfully execute, much less achieve a successful result with, at this stage. We should be ready to have a backup plan if this fails, which is why we need an escape route."

The team continued discussing the strategy for the match until the commanders felt confident enough in their understanding of it.

Of course, the consensus they all reached was that there was a difference between knowing the strategy and being able to carry it out. Would their tankers be skilled enough to defeat their enemies? Would their tanks be strong enough to disable those of their enemies while withstanding their attacks? Would they be disciplined enough to react well to the unexpected?

And would one member be able to make it to the early morning match?

* * *

The morning of the match, Mako R. lay in her bed, barely noticing Saori trying to tug the covers off of her. For as long as she could remember, her biological clock ran in opposition to the school day. Many believed she was making excuses when she said she could not get up that early, but she had tried many times, as she had the morning she met Miho. Sodoko did not give any credit for effort, and still marked her late as Mako R. staggered through the gates. To Mako R., it was bad enough that Sodoko acted superior to her, but why did she have to judge her by her own criteria?

Lost in those thoughts, Mako R. could only reflexively respond to Saori, and barely noticed a bugle call, which she assumed to be a desperate measure to wake her. Finally, a loud blast jarred her awake- as well as everyone else in the neighborhood who was sleeping- and Mako, looking forward, saw the Panzer IV that had caused it- the one she was supposed to drive in the practice match, which was currently being driven by Hana.

Mako groggily stumbled into the Panzer IV and went about her morning routine with some of the amenities that Saori had inserted into the tank. She realized at this point that she was not getting her morning back, and could not simply go back to sleep, so she might as well do what she could in the match, much like she did on her better days at school.

* * *

As the school ship pulled into port and the tanks, as well as many cars, began to disembark via the automobile ramp, Miho looked out over the port town of Oarai, the home port for her school ship.

"This is your first time in Oarai, isn't it, Miporin?" Saori said.

"Yes," Miho said. "I'm originally from Kumamoto."

"We will have to show you around after the match," Yukari said. "It's a nice town, and while my family lives on the school ship, I visit it whenever we're in port."

"I kind of get nostalgic for the days when schools were on land," Saori said. "I know school ships are to help make schoolchildren independent, but when they're single-sex, it kind of makes it difficult to meet guys."

Seeing the school ship and hearing Saori talk about its purpose put Saki in a contemplative mood, and not all of her thoughts were pleasant ones. Since her and her sister's parents had separated about three years ago, Teru had been going to a high school separate from hers, far away across the sea. Saki remembered that the same thing had happened three years before that, when Teru had gone on to middle school, and first went off to sea. But now, Teru was emotionally distant as well as physically distant, and the two exacerbated each other. Because Teru was far away, it would be far more difficult to talk with and reconcile with her. And because Teru had closed off her heart, it was almost impossible to contact her.

Saki had once considered going to the same school as Teru. But she believed she was unable to get into Black Forest, and if she did manage to get in, she would be unable to talk to Teru conventionally. Saki then came to the realization that if talking with Teru was a feasible solution, she would most likely not have gotten involved in tankery again. Immediately after this realization came the realization that she was not thinking of tankery as a mere means to an end in order to reconnect with her sister, but she realized it was beside the point at the moment.

Above all else, Saki was aware that her efforts had a time limit, and this year was perhaps her only window of opportunity, whether she hoped to talk with Teru or reach out to her through tankery. If Teru graduated without Saki succeeding in reaching out to her, where would Teru's path take her in life? Would it be two more years before Saki had her next chance to speak with her older sister? Or would she _ever _see Teru again?

Saki realized that there was no way for her to answer those questions today. The only thing that she could find out was how well her school could stand up against her sister's, and how far she and her teammates would have to go before she could reach her goal.

At the same time, Nodoka privately doubted Saori's description of the school ships fostering independence. She still felt beholden to her father, and unable to do anything other than what he told her to do. She was getting up every morning, walking to school, returning home, doing chores and schoolwork, and going to bed on her own, but all of those things were what he expected her to do. Tankery was the only exception, and she wondered how long she would be able to continue to do that.

But then a nagging thought came into her head. She might not like to do those things that her father expected her to do, but she did them anyway. What would happen if she stopped doing them, or continued to do tankery if her father forbade it? Thinking of the answer frightened her, like the prospect of leaping into a pit so dark the bottom could not be seen, but she realized that she would likely keep asking herself this question again and again until she was able to answer it. Perhaps that answer might come by leaping into that pit and hoping she would survive the landing.

Nodoka realized that she was also making a leap of faith, going into a practice match with an inexperienced and untested team. She had to wonder- did she really think she could win the tournament with this team? But as Oarai was where she wanted to stay, this team was the only one she could use to achieve this goal, and the only one she wanted to be part of as she achieved this goal.

Her mind made up, Nodoka put all other thoughts out of her head and decided to focus on the match, a small step upward and toward her goal.

* * *

The seven commanders of Oarai's tanks- Miho, Hisa, Anzu, Azusa, Noriko, Erwin and Yumi stood on the field of battle, waiting for their opponents to arrive.

The BC Freedom team's tanks rolled up, as a group of mainly French tanks, and ten girls, each of whom was the commander of their respective tank, got out. Their leader got out and walked toward the assembled Oarai commanders.

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to this event," Kei A. said. "My name is Arakawa Kei, and I am commander of BC Freedom's tankery team."

Kei A. looked around at Oarai's tanks. The flags on the StuG caught her eye first, then the gold-painted Pz 38 and pink M3 Lee. She only noticed the "GUTS!" kanji on the Type 89 on closer inspection, and, without looking inside, never noticed the cushions and other decorations inside the Panzer IV.

Kei A. tried and failed to stifle her giggling. She was well-versed in tankery enough to know how bad of a tactical decision this was. Would Oarai even present a challenge if most of them didn't even know that much?

"Kei?" Yasuko said.

"Sorry, Coach," Kei A. said. "But they have some... pretty unique tanks." She then whispered into Yasuko's ear. "The paint job aside, all of them are different nationalities, and most of them seem pretty subpar. I wonder how Oarai picked them- it looks like they pulled them out of a junkyard somewhere."

"Well, if they're that much inferior to us, you and the others shouldn't have any problem beating them... _right_?" Yasuko whispered back to Kei A.

At that point, a thought occurred to Kei A.- what other nuggets of conventional wisdom about tankery did they not know? She knew that while some pieces of conventional wisdom about tankery were common sense, doing everything by the book was not always the best way. Perhaps Oarai's tankers could not be counted on to react in a standard manner, and if Kei A. erroneously assumed that they would at a critical moment, she would pay dearly.

"Maybe so," Kei A. whispered back.

Yasuko stepped away from Kay, toward the Oarai girls.

"Sorry for the interruption," Yasuko said. "I'm Fujita Yasuko, coach for BC Freedom. May I please see your coach?"

"We don't have a full-time coach," Hisa said, as she gestured toward Ami. "Let me introduce Instructor Chouno Ami, our temporary tankery instructor."

"It's nice to meet you," Ami said. "And it seems as though the referees for this match have arrived."

A panel of three female judges, clad in the standard gray tankery referee attire stepped forward.

"We discussed the ground rules for the match in advance," Ami said. "Oarai will field all seven of its tanks. BC Freedom, on the other hand, will field a group of _ten_ tanks, consisting of the students who will represent them in the first two rounds of the tournament this year."

Gasps of shock went up from the assembled Oarai students, who had been expecting a fight with even numbers.

"Part of the reason for this was to simulate tournament rules," Yasuko said, "since your commander expressed an interest in how well you would fare in the tournament."

"I'm vice-captain now," Hisa said. "We had a last-minute change of plans. Miho is in command now."

Yasuko glanced at Miho, and knew that she recognized her. She had commanded alongside her older sister for the past few years. But now, her tanks were less than stellar, and they were largely crewed by amateurs. Miho realized this as well, and felt somewhat nervous about her chances, but Hisa had reassured her, telling her to simply do her best.

Now it was time to see what Miho could do on her own, and where Oarai stood compared to the rest of the tournament hopefuls.

"I see," Yasuko said. "You're bold, if nothing else. Now, let's put this confidence of yours to the test and see how well-founded it is."

* * *

**Author's Note**

Thank you for the reviews.

EXpertUS: The Tas (the P44 isn't quite the right way to refer to it, so I'm replacing all references to it with "the Tas") is a Hungarian tank. By the way, thank you for the advice; I'm considering doing just that.

I suspect Yumi is smart enough to avoid painting her tank garish colors, mainly out of common sense (and as for those who concurred, Momo T. would naturally trust Yumi's opinion, while Mutsuki would agree because of her generally cautious personality). Yumi seems to be one of the five most intelligent characters at Oarai- in my opinion, the five are, in no particular order, herself, Mako R., Hisa, Anzu and Miho.

Yasuko and Kei A. fit the role of the practice match in St. Gloriana's stead when you consider their role in canon. In the main series of Saki, Yasuko plays against Saki and Nodoka, providing them with the realization that they need to get stronger before the tournament. In Achiga-hen, Kei plays with the Achiga girls, first before they progress to the nationals (since her school was second place in her prefecture), and again with some of her friends who are either only in the individual tournament or aren't in any tournament at the moment to help the Achiga girls practice before the semi-finals (since the Achiga girls didn't enter the individuals, they are allowed to practice with the individuals contestants).

While Kei A. is typically friendly and good natured, she, unlike Darjeeling, does not seem to be polite enough to stifle her laughter over the quality and color of Oarai's tanks.

One thing I find slightly strange in Girls und Panzer canon is that Darjeeling and Kay initially don't even seem to recognize Miho as the commander of the team. Granted, Miho is fairly meek, but it seems a bit odd to have Anzu representing Oarai at the pre-match ceremonies instead. As the fic goes on, you might see Hisa encouraging Miho to take a more active role in leading.

I find it somewhat interesting that Saki and Teru are two years apart in school. This means that if Saki's goal is to face Teru in the national high school tournament, she only has a window of opportunity of one year to do so. It presents a sense of urgency to her efforts in that she only has one chance to succeed, not unlike Oarai Academy.


	5. Plunging Right In

**Chapter 5: Plunging Right In  
**

Once both sides were situated in their starting points, in a rocky area near the town of Oarai, the match began. The streets of the town had been cleared in case the battle extended into the city, and most of the populace watched the action on large screens in the areas that were out of bounds. The battle was merely an exhibition match between two relatively unknown schools, so it would not be televised.

But as Oarai's first tankery match in a long time, it attracted the interest of the locals, including those who were relatively uninterested in tankery. For some, their daughters, nieces, granddaughters, cousins, or other female relatives or friends were participating. Others had their interest in tankery aroused, and believed now was a good time to watch a tankery match. Still others were simply curious because of the hype.

Oarai was not yet on the national stage, but people were watching them, eager to see what they could do.

* * *

As Miho's tank headed out from Oarai's starting location in search of the enemy, Miho thought back to the plan that she and her teammates had decided upon.

Since it was an annihilation match, and there was no single point for a side to focus their attacks on or defend against the enemy, Miho predicted that BC Freedom would attack any tanks they could locate. And with their numbers and their strength, Oarai could only succeed by using surprise attacks or forcing the enemy to divide their forces.

Perhaps the enemy would be expecting an ambush, knowing Oarai's limitations and the ways with which they would try to offset them. But if it was properly executed, it could potentially thin their ranks and offset Oarai's numerical disadvantage.

Hisa, waiting back at the ambush point, was well aware of the tournament rules. This battle would be a test of how Oarai would fare against the odds, facing greater numbers and more experienced opponents. It would also be a personal test of how Miho led with a group of tanks and tankers that were vastly different from those she had helped command at Black Forest, as well as how she would fare as the commander, rather than as a second-in-command.

As Miho prepared for the match, she felt something she had not felt from a tankery match with a rival school in a while- excitement. The match promised to be an interesting one.

* * *

Kei A.'s tanks advanced across the plains, their crews keeping an eye out for the enemy. Facing a new enemy, the tankers were unsure of what they should expect in terms of tactics. The enemy's tanks seemed unimpressive, but did it mean that their skill in operating them was as well? Only time would tell.

"Everyone," Kei A., commander and gunner of the tank's secondary armament said. "Our enemy may be new to tankery, but some of their members appear to have some experience. Stay on your guard and do not take them lightly."

"Of course, some of us are new, too," Tsuiki Moko, a first-year who was Kei's gunner and loader, said. "This battle's a learning experience for us, too."

"And even if we outnumber Oarai, we are a relative underdog as well," Shimozuki Ito, a third-year who was Kei's driver, said. "Few people are expecting us to get far, but even so, we will prove we have what it takes to rise to the occasion, and ultimately succeed."

Kei A. nodded approvingly. There were those who believed that the BC Freedom team did not take tankery seriously, and had written off any chance of them being a serious contender in the tournament. Kei A. hoped to prove them wrong, and inspire her teammates to reach for greater heights.

* * *

From atop the cliff where her tank was located, Miho spotted the entirety of the enemy force, making note of the types of tanks present, as well as how many of each there were. From a distance, the tanks were small specs kicking up trails of dust, and she needed the binoculars to see them well enough to identify them.

Once Miho's observations were finished and her targets were in range, she ordered her Panzer IV to fire on the advancing column.

The shot flew off into the distance, and fell short of one of the tanks in front. Miho was unsurprised, having known that it was not a shot that was likely to hit.

On cue, Mako R. began to move the Panzer IV away from its firing position just as BC Freedom began its counterattack. Several of the tanks began firing on the Panzer IV's position, but the shots missed their target.

"I'm sorry, I missed," Hana said.

"It's fine," Miho said. "The goal was only to get their attention, and we succeeded".

The Panzer IV escaped down the cliff, and headed toward the ambush point, pulling out just ahead of the BC Freedom force, which had hoped to trap and disable her atop the cliff. The BC Freedom tanks, in hot pursuit, fired on Miho, but were unable to hit her, in large part because both her tank and theirs were moving.

Kei A. following Miho, realized that Miho was trying to bring her somewhere, presumably an ambush. If both groups engaged in a shootout on open ground, the BC Freedom forces would take heavy losses, but would wipe out the Oarai forces. The only solutions for Oarai were to either divide BC Freedom's forces or acquire a tactical advantage somehow.

But Kei A. also realized that new teams often had poor discipline, and could not be reliably counted on to follow plans. The same was true for some of the less skilled members of BC Freedom.

"Everyone, follow me," Kei A. said. "We will pursue the Panzer IV, and see how they fare with carrying out whatever they have planned."

* * *

Miho's Panzer IV entered the canyon, and saw the tanks, in position on the hill above them, with two sloped paths on each side of it. The crews restlessly waited in their tanks; Hisa had ordered them to stay inside their tanks so that they could be ready for anything. According to her estimations, she would be in position before the first BC Freedom tanks entered the firing range.

But a shell landed near the Panzer IV, its loud blast startling the crew. To Miho's surprise, she realized that it had come from on top of the ambush point, from one of _her_ _team's_ tanks.

"This is A Team, we're being fired on by an ally!" Miho said over the radio.

"Momo, hold your fire!" Hisa called out over the radio. "That's Miho's tank, not the enemy!"

Yumi glanced up at Momo T., who was sitting in the gunner's seat, alert but not having fired her gun, before putting a hand on her face.

_"Damn it..."_ Yumi thought. _"Kawashima's itchy trigger finger and atrocious accuracy are good luck when she's an enemy, but very bad luck when she's on our side."_

Fujiwara Rise, the commander of an AMC 35 that was the vanguard, contacted her commander over the radio, after hearing the shell land.

"Kei-san, I can hear cannon fire from where the Panzer IV went," Rise said.

"Thank you, Rise-san; it seems as though I'm correct, and they are trying for an ambush," Kei A. said. "But it also seems as though they, for some reason, fired on their own tank. All tanks, split up and be ready for enemies lying in wait for us."

Kei A. directed half of her tanks to follow her right, and the rest to go left with Rise's group.

_"This looks like it'll be easy,"_ Nakiri Ranko, commander of an AMC 35 that was at the head of the attack for Kei A.'s half of her forces, thought.

Meanwhile, Oarai desperately tried to counterattack, firing on the tracks of the tanks. A shell from Miho's Panzer IV struck Ranko's tank in the side, knocking it out.

_"Or maybe not,"_ Ranko thought.

Despite Oarai's successful hit, the other nine tanks advanced, firing on the Oarai tanks' position. Their shots so far had missed, but Miho knew that they were closing in, and would soon be able to take out the Oarai tanks unless they escaped soon.

With their current position untenable, Miho realized that the only option was to take the fight elsewhere.

"All tanks, follow me out of here!" Miho said. "We'll lure them to the town and ambush them there!"

The retreat commenced, and Miho's forces exited the area as the BC Freedom forces climbed the slope.

But Miho realized that two of her tanks were not following her.

* * *

Inside the Pz 38, Momo K. was almost oblivious to Oarai retreating or BC Freedom pursuing them, consumed by battle rage and refusing to forsake a chance to destroy her enemies.

"FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!" Momo K. yelled.

"Momo-chan, we've lost a track," Yuzu said. "We can't follow Nishizumi-san or even attack BC Freedom the way we are now."

"This is G Team," Anzu said over the radio. "We've lost a track and we're working on repairing it. The enemy hasn't noticed us, though. We'll be following you as soon as we're ready."

Yuzu sighed. She realized that the Student Council, while able to work well as a team when the situation required it, was suffering greatly from its weaknesses in tank battle, where each member had to perform well. Anzu's laziness essentially meant she was doing nothing inside her tank. Momo K.'s impetuousness and short temper meant that she would quickly go out of control in actual battle, and while she fought energetically, she did not fight effectively.

"Oh dear," Yuzu said. "We seem to be in over our heads."

"Kawashima's excitable and hot-tempered, but she doesn't back down, I'll give her that," Anzu said as she started repairing the track. "In the latter regard, we're similar to her. Maybe that sort of determination will be what we need to get good enough to actually stand a chance."

_"We, President?"_ Yuzu thought. _"You'll need to pull your weight, too."_

As Yuzu got out of the tank and started to go to work on the track, she noticed something odd.

"Wait..." Yuzu said. "Why isn't the M3 Lee moving?"

* * *

Inside the M3 Lee, the first-years heard the blasts of shells landing nearby, like hearing the sound of thunder in a lightning storm from inside one's house.

The six girls, in their first "real" battle, faced the same realization that many soldiers faced when stepping onto the field of battle for the first time- that this was not a drill, and the enemy was playing for keeps. Thanks to the carbon lining of the tanks, the risk of them coming to harm was minimized, but this made little difference to the Rabbits, as panic overwhelmed them and drowned out rational thought.

Understanding the letter but not the spirit of the order to retreat, which they barely heard over the radio, the six first-years opened the hatch on the side of their tank, and ran out of it, leaving behind their tank. A BC Freedom tank, not realizing that the tank was unmanned, fired on it and disabled it.

The Oarai first-years ran through the canyon and hid behind a large rock that was large enough to conceal them if they crouched. From behind it, they heard the sound of about fourteen tanks passing by, first the five Oarai tanks, then the nine remaining BC Freedom tanks. The first-years struggled to retain some semblance of calmness as they heard the din of engines roaring and tracks rolling across the earth.

"We'll be fine!" Azusa said reassuringly to her terrified and panicked teammates. "The enemy got what they wanted, and now are heading off in pursuit of the others. We'll be safe where we are."

But as she said those words, the true meaning of them dawned on Azusa. In order to protect themselves, her team had abandoned their tank to the enemy, proving useless in battle. And now the enemy that they had failed to fight would be free to hunt down their friends, senpais and teammates.

* * *

"The first-years in the M3 Lee aren't responding or following us," Mako S. said.

"So how many do we have left?" Nodoka said.

"The Pz 38's not out of the game yet, but it's still repairing its track," Hisa said. "We'll have to get by without it for now."

Hisa had watched Momo K. at practice, and noticed that her accuracy did not seem to be much worse than that of the other new gunners- it was a far cry from Saki, Momo T., Hana or Saemonza, but seemingly passable for the moment.

Hisa realized that this was another reason why Ami had recommended an actual battle. In addition to seeing how well the team as a whole would hold up against one of their rivals, it would show how well certain members would hold up under pressure. She realized that she had forgotten that most of her teammates at her old school were used to actual tankery combat- most were second- or third-years- and were not only far more experienced than most of her current teammates, but far better able to remain composed in battle.

There was a difference between being able to operate the tanks, and being able to win battles in them. In the former, most of Oarai was at least competent. In the latter, virtually all of Oarai had a long way to go.

* * *

The nine remaining BC Freedom tanks rushed after the five fleeing Oarai tanks, which were trying to draw them toward the town to engage in urban warfare, hoping that they could use the element of surprise to whittle down the enemy forces.

On the approach to the town, a Char B1 lost a track and slid off the road.

"This is Team 2," Okahashi Hatsuse, a first-year and commander of the Char B1 said. "We've lost a track en route to the town. Orders?"

"Catch up when you're able," Kei A. said. "We should be able to deal with them on our own."

As Oarai's tanks reached the town, the tanks split up and sought out positions to ambush the BC Freedom tanks, on Miho's orders

* * *

Rise's AMC 35 drove through the streets of the town of Oarai, looking for any signs of enemy tanks.

As her crew passed by the buildings and searched for the enemy, she couldn't help but take in the sights of the town of Oarai. The town had extensively prepared for the match; even if it was an exhibition match in which a championship was not at stake, it was still the first tankery match in a long time, a popular public event that could be capitalized on as it aroused feelings of nostalgia in the community. Oarai had put up decorations such as banners and posters to promote the event, and, on a more practical level, had also set up barriers to ensure that no civilians wandered into the battle.

Rise noticed some flags in an alleyway, and for a moment, thought that they were yet another decoration that had been put up for the event. She realized too late that there was something familiar about the colors. They seemed loud and garish... almost like the StuG they were mounted on. Rise made the connection between the two too late.

The StuG fired from behind the concealment of the flags, taking out Rise's tank in a side attack. The impact caused a loud explosion and a plume of smoke, which would be noticeable from blocks away.

"Veni, vidi, vici," Caesar said.

"The assassins will be here soon," Oryou said, realizing that Rise's crew would alert their allies before being taken off the field. "Shall I make our escape?"

"Certainly," Erwin said. "This trick will probably only work once."

Quickly packing up the flags, the historical club drove their StuG out of the alley, and into a narrow side street.

"There's a SAMUA S35 on the other side of the fence," Caesar said. "Can it see us?"

"I hope not," Saemonza said. "If we don't have a turret with which we can aim to our side, we can't fight back."

The StuG passed by the low fence, which managed to keep it concealed... if its banners had not stuck above it.

The S35 then fired, blowing a hole in the fence and knocking out the historical team's tank. A white flag rose among the colorful banners on top.

* * *

Meanwhile, Oarai's Pz 38 finished repairing its track, and sped off, in the direction where the rest of Oarai had fled. It advanced, toward the town, passing by Hatsuse's Char B1 while assuming that it had been knocked out.

Anzu heard the casualty reports on the radio. They were better than her worst predictions, but not as good as they should be.

"I guess we can't sit idly by and let Nishizumi-chan and the others do the work, right?" Anzu said.

"It took you this long to figure that out, President?" Momo K. said.

"Not really," Anzu said. "But it seems that the rest of us are further from where we should be than we initially thought."

"Hisa said that tankery requires a lot of people," Yuzu said. "In that sense, we don't even have as many as we should. We should recruit more people and get more tanks, but the first step, and the step that we'll inevitably have to do, is get everyone stronger."

"In any case, Koyama, we should help out," Anzu said. "But at this point, we're going to have to do some more effective playing in order to gain the advantage."

* * *

The Cromwell was being pursued through the streets by a small group of BC Freedom tanks.

"Kanbara, take the alley ahead, the one _after_ this one," Yumi said. "With luck, they won't be expecting this."

The mahjong club's tank sharply turned into the alley, as the BC Freedom pursuers looked ahead at the intersection just past it.

Little did they expect their prey to emerge from an alley beside them and fire on them, disabling one of their tanks, an AMC 35. As the white flag rose on that tank, the others stopped in their tracks and started to turn around. Mutsuki quickly reloaded and Momo T. fired on the other one, a SOMUA S35, quickly disabling it before it could fire.

Two other tanks- Kei's Char B1 Bis and the S35, noticing the shooter, aimed at the alley, having heard the sound of the first cannon blast and seen the second strike down the S35.

"You've done enough, Momo!" Yumi said. "Take us out of here, Kanbara!"

"Got it!" Satomi said.

Satomi had impressive skills driving, but could not outrun a bullet. A shell from Kei A.'s 47 mm gun pierced the Cromwell's side armor from close range, and sent it skidding to a halt as its white flag raised.

* * *

The Type 89 fled into the city streets, knowing that any one of its enemies could out-gun it, and BC Freedom outnumbered Oarai."

"Captain, do you have any ideas?" Shinobu said.

"The commander's plan was a decent strategy, until the student council messed it up," Noriko said. "What do you say we try a smaller scale version, and take an enemy or two down that way?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Akebi said. "Leave the shooting to me!"

The Type 89 backed into a narrow alley, barely wide enough for the tank. Noriko assumed that none of the wider BC Freedom tanks would be able to fit in there.

Akebi took aim at Kei A.'s passing Char B1 Bis as it advanced, not noticing them. She then pulled the trigger and the shot struck the enemy tank in the side, causing a large blast and a plume of smoke that obscured their vision.

"Yeah! We got one!" Noriko said.

The smoke cleared, but the white flag on the BC Freedom tank did not rise.

"What the hell?" Noriko said. "Our serve was completely within bounds!"

The enemy's turret turned around, and an exchange of gunfire ensued, with the Type 89's crew knowing that escape was futile, and the Char B1 Bis knowing that the next shot was unlikely to penetrate their armor. The volleyball club's second shot was as ineffective as the first. Their BC Freedom opponent, however, did not need a second shot.

As the smoke cleared, the white flag raised on the Type 89, taking it out of the match.

* * *

Meanwhile, the crews of the Tas and the Pz 38, which had since rendezvoused with the others, had managed to draw their opponents into a relatively narrow entrance to a parking lot, with an escape route in the back.

Hisa's tank fired, disabling one of BC Freedom's tanks, a Renault R35.

Two more tanks closed in on the group; the two survivors of the mahjong club's attack.

"Momo, take out the one on the right!" Hisa said. "We've got the one on the left!"

"I'm on it!" Momo K. said.

"Momo-chan, you missed," Yuzu said.

Kei A., instinctively knowing which of the two remaining tanks was the greater threat, turned her attention to Hisa's team. Her tank's 47mm gun fired into a weak spot on the Tas' side at close range, knocking out Hisa's tank while Yuuki K. was still reloading. With the threat of the Tas neutralized, Kei A. could defeat the Pz 38 at her leisure.

"No, don't retreat!" Momo K. said. "Let's blow away the enemy commander!"

Yet another hasty shot flew past Kei A.'s tank, allowing her to reload and fire on the Pz 38, disabling it.

"They got us!" Anzu said.

Kei A. paused to think for a moment as she ordered her tanks to search and destroy Oarai's stragglers. Yasuko had told her nothing about Oarai's tanks or troops, their strengths or weaknesses, or their strategies or tactics. And yet, Kei A. was already starting to see which groups were strong and which ones were weak.

Only one question remained for her- to which category did the crew of the Panzer IV belong?

* * *

Outside of the town, Hatsuse's team finished repairing her tank's tracks, and started the engine. As the tank began moving, they contacted Kei A. over the radio.

"This is Team 2," Hatsuse said. "We just managed to repair our track, and we're heading into town."

"Understood; meet up with me," Kei A. said, describing her location. "I could use your help to finish off Oarai's last remaining tank."

Some of Oarai's opponents would have been surprised to hear themselves making such an admission, but Kei A. considered it natural. This would prove to be a valuable lesson for her team, so that they would not underestimate their opponents in the future.

But as Kei A. ordered her tanks to close in on the one remaining Oarai tank, she was still determined to win the match. The victory might be more narrow than she had hoped for, but it was still the goal she sought for the sake of her teammates and subordinates.

* * *

Miho had heard the casualty reports over the radio, and realized she was in dire straits, having lost all but one of her tanks. The numbers had never been in her favor, but they now looked worse than ever.

"Now we're alone against the remaining BC Freedom forces," Miho said.

"But you're not alone, Miporin," Saori said. "You've got us."

"Just give us your orders, Nishizumi-dono," Yukari said. "We'll be able to succeed together, just like we did before."

"Tell me what you want me to shoot, Miho-san, and I will make certain the shell reaches its target," Hana said.

"I might not be the most diligent worker, but I didn't get up at 5 a.m. just so we could lose," Mako R. said.

Miho smiled and nodded, thinking of how she could defeat four tanks with only her single tank. It would be difficult with all of them aiming at her, but then she wondered- what if this was not the case?

Kei's Char B1 Bis approached from behind with a Renault R35 and a SOMUA S35 going alongside it.

"Hana-san, take out the SOMUA on the left," Miho said.

Hana turned the turret around and fired it, striking the SOMUA and immobilizing it, causing the white flag to pop up. The remaining two tanks fired on the Panzer IV, narrowly missing.

_"They're getting closer to hitting us,"_ Miho thought. _"It's time to outmaneuver them."_

Miho spotted a narrow side street

"Mako-san, take a hard right and get us near the S35," Miho said. "Yukari-san, get ready to load it again."

"Got it," Mako said.

The Panzer IV looped around, placing a Renault S35 between Kei A.'s tank and theirs, preventing Kei A. from firing on them. It then fired at close range into the S35, disabling it.

_"Interesting..._" Kei A. thought. _"That makes eight kills for six losses for Oarai. I really will have to train the girls harder."  
_

While Kei A. was getting around the immobilized R35, Miho had already escaped down the alley, turning a corner and getting out of Kei A's line of fire. Kei A., realizing that chasing them might lead her into a trap, decided to lay a trap herself, and headed to the end of the street, where she expected them to emerge.

_"You've done quite well with the people and tanks you have, Nishizumi Miho-san,"_ Kei A. thought, _"But now it ends."_

Much to Kei A.'s surprise, though, the Panzer IV emerged from an entirely different side street, and approached Kei A. from behind.

The Panzer IV's turret turned left, aiming at the side of Kei A.'s tank. The Char B1 Bis' turret hastily turned and fired, missing the Panzer IV, while its front gun was futilely pointing off in the distance.

The Panzer IV then fired, taking advantage of its enemy's reloading time. Hana's shot struck true, disabling Kei A's tank with a shot that nearly tipped the tank over.

But immediately afterward, Hana felt her tank shake from a sudden impact- one that had come from the right.

Hatsuse's tank, having recently repaired its track, had rejoined the fray just in time to get a shot off on Miho's tank. With Miho's attention preoccupied while dealing with Kei A. and her tank, and no one to support her, Hatsuse had just enough of an opening to attack.

"All Oarai tanks have been eliminated. BC Freedom is the winner!" the announcer said.

Miho let off a pensive sigh. She, like most people, preferred winning to losing, and realized that in terms of experience and skill, her current team was a far cry from her old one.

But Oarai was a far cry from Black Forest in many regards, and the differences were not entirely bad. There was not as much pressure on her to succeed, and while she had lost this time, she believed that having to do the Anglerfish Dance, whatever it was, was insignificant compared to the backlash she had suffered before. The game had been close, and she had tried her best, putting on a good show for the audience in the last minute of the match.

It was clear that the team needed to improve, but that would come in time, and Miho hoped this battle would play a role in that improvement, presumably as Hisa had hoped it would.

* * *

**Author's Notes  
**

Thank you for your reviews. I would also like to thank Stalker117 for beta reading this, and the people who are following this fic, making it my most followed story to date.

EXpertUS: Chapters like the previous one that are "transitions" will happen from time to time; I try to use such chapters to follow up on various plot threads that might be addressed during the battle. Regarding Saki, since tankery players don't give off as much of an "aura" as mahjong players do (particularly since you can't even see them in their tanks, for the most part,) Saki won't end up getting scared. That's also an interesting point about the lack of panty shots in Girls und Panzer and lack of underwear in Saki, although one has to wonder how one would do a "panty shot" in a purely text-based fic.

CaptainDavidBlake: I've noticed that in series based around a tournament arc like this, most of the variations come in who the protagonists face in the tournament. You'll see some familiar opponents for Oarai (not all of them, though), but things will be changed around, such as the order, setting and events of the battles.

On this note, the battle might seem somewhat similar to the practice battle against St. Gloriana, but since it seemed logical for it to take place there, I suspected Miho's initial plan would be similar, as would BC Freedom's response and the ultimate outcome.

I chose the French tanks because they were a nationality that was largely not represented in the show, and seemed to fit in part with the Canadian theme of BC Freedom- I had difficulty filling the team with Canadian tanks. I also have to wonder whether schools with a given team necessarily stick to tanks of that nationality, especially if the tanks from the respective nation from WWII aren't as diverse, common or strong.

Edited to fix a mistake; I mistakenly thought the M3 Lee had a hatch in the back, rather than the side.


	6. A Wake-up Call

**Chapter 6: A Wake-Up Call  
**

The entire Oarai team stood outside, some distance from where the match had concluded in the city. Yasuko, accompanied by Kei A. and Hatsuse, walked over to them and, after seeing that everyone was there, clapped her hands twice to get the crowd's attention.

Yasuko looked over the defeated Oarai students as she considered what to say. Hisa had asked her to give feedback on their performance, in exchange for Ami doing the same for BC Freedom. With a groan and a muttered "You are _not_ going to like what I have to say," Yasuko had agreed to share her opinion.

"The match today was surprisingly close," Yasuko said to the Oarai students. "But I honestly expected more out of you."

"The odds weren't exactly fair," Noriko said. "Your team had ten tanks and we had seven. And yet, they still lost all but one. My grades in math aren't exactly great, to say the least, but as far as I'm concerned, we'd have won if it was an even fight."

To Noriko, sporting matches having the same number of contestants on both sides was a rule so basic that even the most basic descriptions of a sport only needed to specify the number of people each side was allowed.

Hisa merely shook her head in response. To her, it was true that Oarai should, ideally, face an opponent with the same quality and quantity of tanks that they had. But things were not always fair in tankery, and rather than complain about the unfairness, they had to do their best to win in spite of it.

"Of course they're not fair- your matches from here on out _won't_ be," Yasuko said bluntly. "In an official tankery match, ten tanks are fielded per side- fifteen in the semi-finals and twenty in the finals. If one doesn't have any more than that, or even if one side doesn't have enough, they simply go with the tanks and crews they have, no matter how inexperienced or untalented the people they have are, or how poor-quality their tanks are. Some people had considered having a rule to disqualify those who couldn't field that many, but it was rejected. The majority believes those with smaller teams or fewer tanks should have a chance, albeit a slim one."

"Well then, it just means we'll have to defeat that many tanks with the ones we have," Momo K. said. "Seven of us, 20 of them- that's three for each of our teams."

"Momo-chan, you should start with hitting one tank before you move on to taking out at least three per match," Yuzu said.

Yasuko skeptically frowned. If Oarai spoke of doing such things as though it was an easy or simple process, the majority of that team was not just inexperienced, but also naïve.

"Keep in mind- ten of our best tanks and best crews are not equivalent to the ten best of Saunders, Pravda or Black Forest," Yasuko said. "The earlier matches keep the rules fair for smaller schools, but when schools have larger teams, they're able to put more skilled crews in stronger tanks. Alternatively, the schools with winning records are more popular among skilled tankers and more easily able to get funding- it's something of a chicken and the egg situation."

Most of the assembled students wondered if that made them little more than chicken feed, as one of the schools that was crushed year after year, a link in stronger schools' winning streaks. Yukari, having some experience with tankery, though, saw a glimmer of hope.

"But there is a flag tank rule," Yukari said. "If you take out the enemy's flag tank, it doesn't matter if that's the only enemy tank you disable or your flag tank is the only one you have- you win."

"The enemy knows that as well," Yasuko said. "They will work to protect that flag tank, and you'll likely have to take out several of the enemy's tanks to even get a chance to strike. When they can more easily afford to throw away tanks, they will do so to protect the flag tank if they feel threatened, although they'll make sure they take down some of yours as well. In order to win against odds like that, every tank in your team has to step up, and from what I saw today, only two or three teams from your school seem anywhere near ready."

The assembled Oarai students looked around at their peers. Some had an idea of which groups Yasuko was talking about. The vast majority of them knew that they were not the ones she was referring to. The first-years from the M3 Lee were certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were not included.

"What I'm saying may sound harsh," Yasuko said. "But as you are now, your school doesn't stand a chance in the tournament. And neither does ours."

As Yasuko paused to let her words sink in, she noticed a relative lack of surprise from most of the Oarai tankers- had the outcome of the practice battle convinced them, or did they never hold out much hope to begin with? Momo K., however, glared in frustration and bit her lip, while Yuzu's expression turned despondent and the smile vanished from Anzu's face.

"However, if you practice, you might just end up becoming better, and today's match could very well be a learning experience for all of you that will serve you well in the future, as it does for us," Yasuko said. "For that reason, we thank you for the match today."

The Oarai students walked off, but Hatsuse stayed behind, gazing at the departing students. She recognized Nodoka's pink hair, as she had seen pictures of her in the media's coverage of tankery, and had heard about her from a mutual friend.

Perhaps if her school's opponent had someone with Nodoka's experience around, winning was not as much of a lost cause for them. And perhaps if a school with such steep odds ahead of them remained undeterred, there was no reason for BC Freedom not to try.

* * *

Yasuko, having stepped away from the assembly, stood against a wall of a nearby building and lit her pipe. She turned as she heard footsteps, and saw Hisa walking up to her.

"As always, you don't pull any punches, Yasuko," Hisa said.

"Am I wrong, Hisa?" Yasuko said. "Do keep in mind that, as I said, I have no illusions about how far my team has to go before becoming a serious contender in the tournament."

Hisa chuckled. "You're as brutally honest when it comes to your students as you are with their rivals," she said with a smile on her face, but her expression turned more serious as she continued. "But you're not wrong at all, in either case. This result was more or less what I expected- and intended. It should give the girls an idea of what they're up against, and motivation to get stronger."

"That sounds quite like you; you never came to me expecting me to say what you wanted to hear," Yasuko said. "But really, winning the championship in the school's first year at tankery? Even if you got strong enough to defeat us, there are many other teams out there- not only Black Forest, but also St. Gloriana, Saunders, Pravda and others. You'll have to face many others that are quite strong if you seriously intend to aim for the championship."

"Isn't that what everyone strives for?" Hisa said. "Or are things different at BC Freedom?"

"You could say so," Yasuko said. "We do occasionally have a problem with apathetic participants, who don't believe that we can defeat Black Forest or other big-name schools- Kei, her predecessors and I have been trying to work on that. It's been five years since we even faced them- losing to them is one thing, but losing to the schools that they defeated is another."

Yasuko paused, then anticipating Hisa's next question, continued.

"And as for me…" she said, "Let's just say that you can't do professional tankery as long as I have without running into some people who are simply a lot better than you. You do your best, but you ultimately realize, and have to live with, the fact that there are some people that are simply too difficult for someone of your caliber to defeat."

"Including those younger than you?" Hisa said.

Yasuko sighed. "Don't remind me of that one time," she said. "But in all seriousness, Hisa, I can understand that you want to make the most of your one shot at winning a tankery tournament, after waiting so long and having so many failed attempts at getting the tankery club going at your school, and I can honestly sympathize. It's just that I don't think you'll be able to pull it off."

Yasuko's expression, while a stern frown at first, shifted to a warmer and more sympathetic one by the time she finished speaking.

Hisa paused, letting Yasuko's words sink in while thinking of how she could respond to that. After a moment, she decided to say what she truly felt in the simplest possible way.

"I know that the odds aren't in my favor," Hisa said. "But while Oarai was never my first choice as far as schools go, it's still _my_ school, and for its sake, I'm determined to win."

Yasuko realized that Hisa was alluding to personal things that, despite their friendship, Yasuko had never been told. Everyone who kept up to date on tankery had heard about the time when Hisa had led her team to victory in the semi-finals of the middle school tankery tournament three years ago, but how she had failed to appear for the finals, resulting in her team's defeat.

"Well then," Yasuko said, "I can give you a bit of advice, as a friend. To begin with, most of your school's tank crews- save your crew in the Tas, the Panzer IV and the Cromwell, are the sorts of people who would get cut from their tank teams. My school has a similar problem; we have enough people for 15 tanks, meaning that we have to take whoever is available if we reach the semifinals or finals. Essentially, your goal will be to get your subordinates to realize that they're the school's first, last and only line of defense. No one will step in for them if they're not up for it, and if they fail, it's on them."

Hisa nodded appreciatively.

"Even though, as I said, it's easier to count who _is_ ready than who is not, there are a few noticeable weak links," Yasuko said. "If the Type 89 can't take out a tank with a direct assault, they're not going to be of much use, but they're better than the Pz 38's gunner, who can't hit the broad side of a barn, and the M3 Lee, whose crew seemingly ditched the vehicle without firing a shot; Ranko said that she saw M3 Lee's side hatch was open and noticed that it was empty when the Dragon Wagon hauled it and her tank back. So in a nutshell, that's a good representation of the the three main things you need to work on- your team's gear, their skill and their motivation. There's also the paint job, but that should go without saying."

"Yes, I've noticed, too," Hisa said. "There's not much I can do about the tanks we have, although I am going to put a lot of effort into training my people to improve their skills. Of course, as for them putting in the effort, while I can encourage them to do it, it's ultimately up to them to do it themselves."

"Naturally, it's easier said than done," Yasuko said. "But even if you don't think much about the odds, I can tell this isn't an entirely hare-brained scheme."

"Well, that's my modus operandi," Hisa said with a smile. "I can only really succeed when the odds are against me."

Hisa and Yasuko said goodbye and parted ways, Yasuko pondered Hisa's motivations. Yasuko was a person who didn't think much of people whose heads were in the clouds, and believed that there was a difference between dreams and reality. But she then wondered whether, if more people on her team started having big dreams like Hisa did, they would have more of a chance of getting farther than they did at this point.

* * *

Miho stood with her teammates and pondered her chances in the tournament. She agreed that the odds were slim, but was unwilling to write it off as hopeless. But she also did not have much invested in victory.

"Looks like we lost," Anzu said, as the Student Council, with Hisa having rejoined them, approached Miho and her crew.

"Are you seriously going to have us do the Anglerfish dance?" Saori said. "I'll never get married if I do!"

"We are," Anzu said. "And what's more... we're going to take part in it, too. It's kind of our fault that we lost."

Yuzu and Momo K. gasped in surprise, while Hisa merely nodded.

The nine girls, five from the Panzer IV and four from the Student Council, clad in the pink bodysuits and anglerfish hats that were the traditional Anglerfish Dance costume, danced the Anglerfish Dance on the back of a truck that went through the streets of Oarai, with expressions indicating anything from stoic indifference to being completely and utterly mortified.

* * *

"I expected things to turn out this way," Hisa said to the rest of the Student Council, once the dance had concluded and they had changed out of their costumes and back into their school uniforms. "I always knew that we had to work out some kinks, and this gave me some ideas as to where to start."

"But why not choose a bigger-name school to go against, one that was more likely to crush us?" Yuzu said. "Nishizumi-san came surprisingly close to winning."

"Some schools wouldn't necessarily deign to practice with us," Hisa said. "And while we'd be almost certain to lose against them, the others on our team might dismiss it as a natural result of going up against a much better school, if they didn't lose hope entirely. Losing against a school like BC Freedom shows that we have a long way to go before we can take on the champions."

"Of course, we could get an extremely strong opponent right off the bat," Anzu said. "The odds are slim, but we can only do what we can do."

"I just hope this doesn't crush the team's spirit," Yuzu said. "If they believe that we couldn't have defeated BC Freedom and realize, as Coach Fujita said, that the enemies ahead will get harder, they might conclude that it's impossible to win."

Momo K. ground her teeth, finding the idea of giving up so early and so easily unthinkable.

"The others have shown remarkable initiative and have learned quickly so far- they have to, given the circumstances," Hisa said. "As for their resilience, while I hope this is the only time we're defeated, we need people who aren't deterred by setbacks of this nature, and who are determined to improve."

Momo K. sighed, realizing that it was likely that they would have to pay the costs associated with losing.

"Did we really have to do that stupid Anglerfish Dance?" Momo K. said.

"Like BC Freedom's coach said, we're not up to snuff yet, so we also need to put in the effort to improve," Anzu said. "And, as I said before, you have to admit that it's partly our fault we lost."

"I think Momo-chan meant, why do we have to subject everyone to something like that?" Yuzu said.

"You know why, Koyama," Anzu said, suddenly becoming very serious. "This was the _one_ battle we could afford to lose. If any of us aren't up to par, all of us will have to pay the price, especially when any tank on our team could be designated as the flag tank."

"That's true," Hisa said. "The enemies will only get tougher from here on out, so we will have no choice but to get better."

* * *

Hatsuse got back to her apartment room aboard the BC Freedom school ship that evening, pondering what had happened. She never had any serious belief that she would win the tournament. How could Oarai, a school that lost to them, even consider of aiming for a goal that was so difficult? And even if BC Freedom had won, were they that much closer to Oarai's level than they were to the champions?

There was, however, one other thing that she believed she had to follow up on, and one other person she believed deserved to know. Hatsuse got out her cell phone and began dialing the number of Atarashi Ako, a friend of hers from middle school.

Meanwhile, Ako, a girl with long, light brown hair, sat in her two-person apartment with her roommate when the phone began to ring.

"Oh, that's my friend Hatsuse," Ako said as she recognized the caller ID. "Hi, this is Ako," Ako said, picking up the phone as her roommate excused herself.

"Hi, Ako, this is Hatsuse, how have you been?" Hatsuse said.

"I'm doing well," Ako said. "At Saunders, the training has gotten intense; we're coming up on the tournament. They may believe in doing tankery for fun, but that doesn't mean we get to slack off in training."

"My school hasn't been doing nearly as much- we don't even have a full team, and not everyone shows up- but we had a practice match today," Hatsuse said. "Our opponent was Oarai Academy, which did surprisingly well despite having fewer tanks than we did. The instructor told us, though, that if we had this much trouble against a new school, we wouldn't be able to get far in the tournament."

"I see," Ako said. "I'd kind of like to face off against you in the tournament."

Hatsuse chuckled.

"I can tell that Saunders would win," Hatsuse said. "Although, I'm still surprised that you managed to get a spot on their team in your first year."

"I have a fair amount of experience," Ako said. "But even the others have their background, to various degrees. Many of the first-years who get rejected hadn't done it at all before then, so in that regard, we're significantly above them, as well as some of the second-years."

"That reminds me, Ako…" Hatsuse said. "I think I saw Haramura Nodoka at our practice. Didn't you say she was a friend of yours from elementary school who was interested in tankery?"

"Yeah," Ako said, after taking moment to compose herself. "Did you really see her?"

"Pink hair, huge breasts- yeah, it was her," Hatsuse said. "I've seen her picture in the news."

"You're telling me that she ended up at a school that only recently got back into tankery?" Ako said. "I'd honestly expected Nodoka to go into one of the big tankery schools. Then again, I think that if she could have stayed with us, she would have done so."

"Your guess is as good as mine- and maybe better, since you're the one who knew her," Hatsuse said. "I'm just reporting this so that you can relay this to her other friends."

"That's my plan," Ako said. "And that's why I'll have to be going. I'll talk with you later, Hatsuse- good luck in the tournament."

"Same to you, Ako," Hatsuse said.

Ako then hung up and opened the door to her room. Takakamo Shizuno, her childhood friend and roommate, was waiting outside. Shizuno's brown hair was in a ponytail, and she was wearing her typical outfit, a dark tracksuit. Ako often joked that Shizuno would wear a tracksuit everywhere if she was allowed to do so, which had a grain of truth. The part about going up to middle school Shizuno complained about the most was having to start wearing a uniform to school. Some assumed that was Shizuno's least favorite part, but she was quick to correct them- her least favorite part was leaving her friends behind.

Circumstances had forced Shizuno apart from her three friends- Ako, Kuro and Nodoka- for middle school, and while she was once again attending high school with Ako and Kuro, they still had not seen or heard from Nodoka in years. But Shizuno believed that was about to change.

"What was that about, Ako?" Shizuno said, having stepped out of the room to allow Ako to take the call.

"It was Hatsuse," Ako said. "Nodoka's going to Oarai, and since they started their tankery team back up again, she's in it."

"I knew it!" Shizuno said excitedly. "We _will_ be able to see her again! Kuro will also be really happy to hear this."

"It all depends on our placement in the tournament brackets," Ako said. "If we get placed in different halves, we may not end up seeing each other unless we make it to the finals. And considering how strong some of the other schools are, we may not make it at all."

"Saunders is strong, too," Shizuno said. "We've got Akado-sensei coaching us, and she took the team to the finals 10 years ago! And don't forget, Black Forest's winning streak ended last year!"

Ako smiled.

"You know, Shizu," Ako said, "There are times when you jump into things without thinking and bite off more than you can chew. But at the same time, that energy of yours inspires me to try harder and aim for more; I might have ended up going with Hatsuse to BC Freedom."

"I hope Nodoka also has someone like that on her team," Shizuno said. "The odds against facing each other in the tournament might be steep, but we'll overcome them together."

* * *

Meanwhile, the teams from Oarai went their separate ways for the rest of the day, having given free time to spend in the town before heading back to the school ship.

Saki could not help but feel disheartened after the loss. She was prepared for the possibility of losing against Black Forest, or some of the other big-name schools, but losing to a school that had little hope of winning against any of those was something else entirely. And her sister was one of the top members of their strongest rival, who helped her school win the tournament two years ago, and nearly repeated the feat the previous year.

Saki had to wonder- had the gap in skills between herself and her sister really increased by that much in three years? Would she even be able to reach her sister in the tournament? And if she did, would she be able to convey the feelings she hoped to convey?

"Miyanaga-san!" Nodoka said, hoping to snap Saki out of her funk. "You shouldn't get so disheartened after this loss. We were unable to defeat Nishizumi-senpai's team in the practice battle, so it's natural that there are other crews and teams out there who are stronger than we are. All we have to do is get stronger."

"But they too were defeated, Haramura-san," Saki said.

Nodoka merely nodded, acknowledging the point.

"Last year, I went to the middle school tankery tournament," Nodoka said. "And even though we didn't make it far, we kept fighting, to the bitter end. I'm determined to fight to ensure that I don't have to change schools again, even if I fail, and even if my father ends up not keeping his promise."

Saki paused to contemplate what Nodoka was saying. She was acknowledging the possibility of defeat, but also the possibility of success failing to secure what she hoped to obtain through it, like a shell hitting a tank but failing to take it out of the game.

"And isn't the same true for you, Miyanaga-san?" Nodoka continued. "You still want to reconcile with your sister, don't you?"

Saki realized that Nodoka was not speaking in terms of difficulty, of odds, of one's abilities or of practicality. She was speaking to Saki's desires, and while Saki had reason to doubt that she would get what she wanted, there was only one answer she could give to the question of whether she wanted it.

"Yes," Saki said.

"Then, we just have to get better in the time we have until the start of the tournament," Nodoka said. "I'm sure Nishizumi-senpai and the treasurer are working out some sort of plan, to help us prepare for and win the tournament. We just need to get to the point at which we can do whatever's asked of us."

Nodoka's confidence was revitalizing to Saki. Saki had come to think that things were hopeless for her, but hearing Nodoka express her determination to

"Thank you, Haramura-san," Saki said,

After a minute or so of silence, Saki briefly glanced at her watch, to check how much time remained before the Oarai students would have to go back.

"It's this late already?" Saki said. "We should head back to the ship, but I'd like to use the restroom first."

"I'll show you there, Miyanaga-san," Nodoka said. "I don't want you to get lost after all, especially when you don't have a cell phone."

* * *

Elsewhere, Miho's team- sans Mako, who had gone to visit her grandmother- stopped in a local flower store. Miho, glancing up at the shelf, noticed a framed diploma that seemed to belong to the proprietor, a woman in her late twenties.

"Isuzu School…" Miho said, reading the certificate. "Hana-san, is that your family?"

"Good observation, Miho-san," Hana said. "Yes, the Isuzu family has long been involved in flower arranging. We have a school and it seems the shopkeeper here was one of my mother's students."

"That might explain why you've done it for so long," Miho said. "But… now that I think about it, flower arranging was one of the other electives at Oarai, although I didn't find it as interesting as some of the other choices. But what about you, Hana-san? Why didn't you take that elective instead of tankery?"

"Perhaps for a reason similar to why you chose not to do tankery, Miho-san," Hana said. "For a long time, I've done flower arrangement, but found that it somehow became less fulfilling over time. I searched for some way to liven this up, and tankery seemed to be the best way."

"To be honest," Miho said. "I've been dissatisfied with how my family wants me to do tankery, but I don't think I've ever been tired of tankery itself. Have you ever talked with your mother or anyone else in your family about this?"

"No, because…" Hana began, "I do not believe my mother would approve of it. She is a very traditional woman, who wears a kimono almost everywhere, speaks formally even with me, and believes in upholding older teachings. At the very least, I do not wish to let my mother know that I am doing tankery until I have something to show for it in my flower arranging."

Hana spoke of her mother with a reverent tone, albeit one that was reserved for those whose ability far transcended one's own, so much that the speaker did not think it possible for them to reach that point. It was like an art student describing a famous artist, Yukari describing Miho's skill in tankery, and to some degree, Miho talking about her family's accomplishments.

Hana respected her mother, but no longer felt so certain she could do flower arrangement purely the Isuzu way any more than she could wear a kimono as her everyday attire or use keigo on her friends- she dressed nicely and spoke politely but could not strictly adhere to tradition. And yet, it was because of that respect that Hana was seeking a way to revitalize her interest and gain a fresh new approach to the art so that she could follow in her mother's footsteps.

Little did Hana know that she had just missed her mother and their house servant, Shinzaburou; her mother had visited the shop to make purchases and speak with the owner. And while she realized that the day would come when she would have to tell her mother about her pursuits, she did not know that the day would not necessarily come when she was ready.

* * *

Yumi and Momo T. were out at a bookstore, browsing the section with books about games for mahjong- and tankery-related books. The other members of the mahjong club were elsewhere in the store, having agreed to meet up at the register.

"Today was fun, Senpai," Momo T. said. "Even we lost, even if it wasn't playing mahjong, I got to spend the day competing as a team with you and the others~su."

Yumi had to agree. This was not the same game she and Momo were originally interested in, but the essence of being in the same club together and cooperating toward a common goal remained intact.

"It certainly was, Momo," Yumi said. "And while I doubt we'll be able to win the tournament, our defeat today should serve as an impetus for everyone to get better, ourselves included. We might not come out on top, but we can get as far as we can."

"But what happens after the tournament?" Momo T. said. "The mahjong club for which you recruited me has been shut down, and, at the earliest, won't come back up until next year. And if we lose the tournament, we won't be able to do anything major for the rest of the year."

Yumi paused to consider Momo T.'s point. She noticed that a significant portion of those in tankery were third-years, who were just as inexperienced as almost everyone else, with a few exceptions. She also realized that the third-years would graduate at the end of the year, and unlike the first-years, there was not much hope for the long term development of their skills, or at least, any development that would be useful for their current school.

But Oarai had little choice in tanks or the girls who crewed them. The only things they could control was how they used what they had at their disposal, whether maximizing their effectiveness, or using them in an optimal manner.

"What do you mean, Momo?" Yumi said. "It's fairly simple; for now, we just go forward, with the tanks and people we have. And even if the mahjong club doesn't come back this year, I'd like to keep it around for you, for Senoo and Tsuyama, as well as for any people who may come along in the future."

"I was talking about the two of us, Senpai," Momo T. said. "Should we lose, and lose our best hope of reviving the mahjong club, will there be any reason for you to keep coming to the tankery club, apart from it being our elective~su?"

Yumi found herself unable to respond. She had to admit that she had not thought that far in advance. There were more immediate concerns she had to deal with- if she did not think of a way to become proficient with a tank while being preoccupied with what would happen after the tournament, then her school's defeat would be swift.

Yumi, having graduated from elementary and middle school, was fully aware that life often took her in a different direction as others in her groups of friends and peers. She was used to it, and was merely glad that she had managed to make friends at Oarai. She would do what she could to keep in touch, and keep up to date on the status of the mahjong club, but understood the possibility of them drifting apart.

But what would Yumi say regarding this to Momo T., who, by all accounts, had no such friends before? Did Momo T. honestly think Yumi only needed her as a crewmate and member of the mahjong club? And if Yumi thought herself used to this, why was she dreading the inevitable separation from Momo T.?

Yumi fell silent, unable to answer for fear of saying something that she or Momo T. would find unpleasant.

"Whatever the case may be, I don't want to lose~su!" Momo T. said, her enthusiasm reviving for a moment.

Yumi somberly pondered how she was unable to answer. The moment that had been the best opportunity had passed, and Yumi could not say anything. The day would eventually come when Yumi would be separated from Momo T. Perhaps it was sooner than she thought. The only question would be whether they would be prepared for that, and what they would do when distance separated them.

Eventually, Momo T. resumed the conversation again, this time changing to a happier topic. Yumi found herself distracted from her musing about what would happen in the future, and thought only of her time there, with Momo T.

"_Kanbara, maybe you do have a point,"_ Yumi thought. _"Maybe there are times when it's better to just live in the moment."_

* * *

Meanwhile, not everyone was enjoying this time off. The defeat was harder on some than others, especially those who had not done well during the battle. The first-years who crewed the M3 Lee realized that a great deal of the blame lay at their feet.

Even Momo's berserk and reckless firing, while detrimental to the group's effort at critical points, carried with it a certain level of passion and effort- she had stood her ground and fought, even if she had been easily defeated without taking any of BC Freedom's tanks down with her. The first-years who retreated could not even say that much.

"Girls," Azusa said to the rest of her team as they waited near the boat that would take them back, "we owe Commander Nishizumi an apology for retreating in battle."

"We were one tank, facing those with much more experience," Aya said. "What could we have done?"

"You heard what BC Freedom's coach said," Ayumi said. "Each one of us has to pull our weight when we're outnumbered. Perhaps all of us have to get better in order to succeed. But we have to at least fight when we're in a battle, or else we'll be nothing but a burden on the others."

"What was it Takebe-senpai said about our school having a less than optimal team?" Karina said. "Something like how it's as though we're in a relationship and can't get another boyfriend if we break up, so we have to make it work somehow?"

"My boyfriend broke up with me…" Yuuki U. said. "So I wouldn't know how to make things work like that."

"None of the six of us are the kinds of people that would get onto a team in most competitive schools," Ayumi said. "Akebi-chan, my friend from the volleyball team, said as much about herself; when I asked whether she was talking about volleyball or tankery, she said 'Both.' But there's no one around to replace us, so we must do the best we can."

"Yes, and that includes taking responsibility for our mistakes, as well as working to learn from them" Azusa said.

"But what's going to happen to us?" Karina said. "Caesar-senpai said that our commander would probably 'decimate' us for running from the field of battle, whatever that means."

Azusa sighed, slightly amused. At the very least, Karina had not made the mistake of confusing decimation with being slaughtered to the last man.

"First, it's executing one in ten people, and there's only six of us," Azusa said. "Second, the History Club is all for roleplaying, and they tend to make joking references to history. Third, I spoke with Erwin-senpai and she said that since she only took out one of the BC Freedom tanks, she doesn't have much more of a leg to stand on, so to speak; Caesar-senpai and the others didn't disagree."

"But one is better than none," Ayumi said morosely. "They do at least have a contribution they can point to, even if they also have some ways to go."

The conversation died down, until the first-years heard footsteps.

"There they are!" Yuuki U. said as she saw Miho and her crewmates approaching. The six girls then turned around and lined up in a row. Glancing at each other, they cleared their throats and decided that, as difficult as it would be, it would be best to get it over with.

"Commander Nishizumi, Vice-Captain Takei," Azusa said. "We would like to apologize for losing our composure and fleeing the battle."

The six first-year tankers bowed together, while "I'm sorry!" came from five of them- all except their silent member- in unison.

"To be honest," Hisa said, her expression and tone becoming stern, "There are teams that would bench you over something like this, depending on how merciless those in charge are, or how easily you could be replaced. However, the latter clearly is not in effect here, given how few people and tanks we have. And, as for the former, to me, this is as much of a learning experience as our training battle is. We _all_ have some ways to go before we're ready for the tournament- some more than others, but we all have work to do."

"But what about Commander Nishizumi?" Ayumi said.

Hisa smiled and chuckled softly.

"Well, why don't I let her speak for herself?" Hisa said, knowing full well what Miho would say. Not only had Miho privately told Hisa that she was not angry with the first-years, but Hisa was starting to understand Miho to the point at which she could tell what she would do in a given situation.

"I accept your apology," Miho said. "As Hisa-senpai said, we don't do things the same way as the big-name schools- partly because we can't afford to and partly because we don't want to- and all of us will have to get better in order to rise to the challenge. I'm looking forward to your efforts toward that end."

"Thank you very much, Commander!" five of the first-years said, while the sixth smiled slightly.

Miho's simple statement had a deep impact on the first-years, more profound than threatening them. If they let Miho down again, they would not suffer punishment, but would fail to live up to her words. They wanted to prove that her belief in them was not wrong.

Little did they know that there was more at stake in the tournament than there initially seemed, and defeat was not an acceptable outcome for them or anyone else in Oarai.

* * *

**Author**'s** Notes**

Thank you for the reviews.

I hope Yasuko didn't come off as too harsh in this chapter, which is actually less harsh than she was in canon, when she basically said, without a hint of doubt, that Saki and Nodoka didn't stand a chance (because they lost to Yasuko, who had lost to Koromo, the strongest opponent in the prefecture), and didn't express any indication that she was part of Hisa's plan to motivate Saki and Nodoka to get better. This does, however, contrast with Darjeeling respecting Oarai after just barely defeating them.

While Miho disagrees with the Nishizumi style's way of doing things, she seems to have a certain level of respect for the results it has, which is likely part of the reason why she has difficulty arguing with her mother. Without having accomplished as much as her own at this point, she finds it difficult to say what she could accomplish her own way, and since results are all that matters to her mother, Miho is aware that she cannot get anywhere speaking in terms of mere ideals.

Hatsuse is Ako's friend from middle school in Saki Achiga-hen. In canon, she thinks Ako is out of her mind for going to Achiga and trying to revive its team to defeat Bansei, when she, once Ako's equal at mahjong, couldn't make Bansei's bench. Here, I decided to reverse it, with Hatsuse getting into a lower-ranked school due to not thinking herself able to get into a team on a good one, with Ako shooting for Saunders, to reflect Hatsuse being more pessimistic and less hopeful than Ako.

The "decimate" joke was yet another historical reference, and a bit of a language joke as well; the practice was to have the soldiers of a decimated unit kill one out of every ten people, but the word is often used in cases where it's closer to one out of ten people _surviving_, if that.

Edited some minor errors


	7. Interlude 1: Saki

**Interlude 1: Saki**

After practice one day, Hisa held an informal meeting with the rest of those who were familiar with tankery in order to brainstorm ideas about what they could do to improve the tankery team. The group came up with some ideas for new training exercises, but ultimately, those involved in the session collectively came to the conclusion that it was easier to list the things that _did not_ desperately need improvement.

As the meeting more or less adjourned to wait for more specific ideas to come to them during training, the conversation shifted to tankery.

"You know, even if our chances of winning don't look good, for the first time in a long time, I'm starting to enjoy tankery," Saki said.

Nodoka's expression turned surprised; she had never heard of Saki enjoying tankery before coming to Oarai.

"If I may ask, Miyanaga-san," Nodoka said, "why didn't you enjoy it in the past?"

"It's because of my parents," Saki said. "As far as tankery went, it was impossible for me to please both of them."

"So your parents didn't approve of you doing tankery?" Yuuki K. said, confused.

"It's a little more complicated than that, Yuuki-chan," Saki said. "It wasn't that I couldn't do what I wanted; it was more like there didn't seem to be a right answer at all."

"In what sense?" Hisa said.

"My dad never liked tankery, or the idea of my sister and I participating in it," Saki said "But my mom insisted that we do tankery, and do it well; she did tankery in high school, and was quite good at it. Supposedly, they agreed to disagree on this at first, even after they had two daughters, but they started openly expressing their disagreement and arguing about it not long before my sister started doing tankery in middle school."

Miho was all too familiar with demanding standards for excellence in tankery, and knew that if Saki suffered from those, and could not bear the pressure, she would come to hate tankery. Miho had also heard about those who did not like tankery, enough so that they would forbid their daughters from participating; if Saki had a parent like that, she would not have had a chance to get exposed to tankery, and would possibly even have a negative preconception of it. But this was the first time that Miho heard of someone who had experienced both at once.

"Was there really no way of satisfying both your parents?" Miho said. For her, she would have remained in Shiho's good graces by doing what she said and meeting her standards- a simple task but for the fact that she found such standards too difficult and unpleasant to meet.

"No; it was truly a dilemma," Saki said. "I'd displease one parent by not doing it, I'd displease the other by doing it, and I'd displease both by not doing it well. With all the pressure, I didn't feel comfortable doing it, but at the same time, I didn't believe I could just quit."

"What would your parents have done if they got mad, Miyanaga-san?" Miho said.

Miho's question gave Saki pause, as she recalled that she had asked herself that question before. Why was she so afraid of making her parents angry? The closest she got to a conclusive answer to that question was believing that she was motivated by the common desire to make her parents happy and gain their approval.

"I… honestly don't know," Saki said. "Dad apparently ended up making his displeasure known to Mom at several points- he never said anything directly to me, but I could tell that he didn't like it from how he'd halfheartedly say 'that's nice' and change the subject when it was brought up. On the other hand, he never actually did anything to stop us. It was unpleasant, but I was able to bear it. I'm not sure about my mother, though."

"So if you have nothing to lose, why focus on pleasing your parents?" Nodoka said. "Why not do tankery for your own pleasure?"

Saki nodded, as Nodoka's question brought her to what, for a time, had been her answer to the question of whether and why she should do tankery.

"My sister said the same thing, Haramura-san," Saki said. "My mother was especially proud of her and wanted me to be more like her. My father thought my mother was leading her down the wrong path and vicariously living out her dreams through her. But she was able to resist the pressure on both ends- urging her to succeed and discouraging her from even trying- and did tankery for her own reasons."

* * *

_Six years ago_

Saki, who was in fourth grade, spoke with Teru, who was in sixth grade, while they were walking home from school together.

"Is something wrong, Saki?" Teru said, noticing that Saki had been unusually quiet for the entire walk.

"I don't understand, Onee-chan," Saki said. "Why does Mom make us try so hard to learn about tankery? And why does Dad dislike it so much, apart from Mom wanting us to succeed at it?"

"I can't really speak for Dad's perspective, since he never really understood it; there are always those who view tankery as barbaric, dangerous or otherwise unsuitable," Teru said. "They don't understand a great deal about it, from the safety measures that are in place, to why we do it."

Saki had read enough about tankery to know how the tanks worked, how they were modified to minimize the risk to their operators and the mechanisms that simulated defeating one. But most of the reading that her mother assigned her focused on _how_ to win at tankery, rather than _why_ to do it.

"So, why do we do it?" Saki said. "I've been just doing it for so long that the reason's become 'because Mom wants us to do so,' and I've forgotten why she would want me to do it- let alone why Dad doesn't like it."

"Tankery is an art that makes women out of girls," Teru said. "You'll have to work together to operate a tank, and many teams must work together in order to win. It, like most other arts, requires discipline, hard work, dedication and talent if you hope to do well. Through that process, you gain the skills and qualities you need to succeed at many other ventures, whether you become a housewife, you work outside the home, or join the military."

"That sounds rather serious," Saki said. She was still at the point at which she was studying to do tankery, and not yet actually able to do it. As a result, tankery seemed fairly complex, and intimidating at that.

"It is, but if you take the right approach, it's serious _fun_," Teru said. "Like any other sport, you can do it with your friends, cooperating together for a common goal. You can also tell a great deal about someone through the way that person does tankery. Why does she do it? How committed is she? What sort of tactics does she use? What does she do when things look bad for her team? The choices you make often say a great deal about you, even in situations when you don't seem to have much of a choice, and tankery is no exception."

"I'd never thought of it that way…" Saki said. "Do you really enjoy it, Onee-chan, even with all the pressure placed on you?"

"I do, Saki, and that's why I'd like you to stick with it," Teru said. "Someday, you'll not only enjoy it, but through it, you can accomplish something important to you."

Saki appreciated her sister's advice, given purely for her sake, without any ulterior motives. Perhaps tankery was, in fact, enjoyable and beneficial. Perhaps there were reasons to do it apart from the obsessive drive to succeed or be the best. If what her sister was true, she had all the reason she needed to continue.

* * *

_Present day  
_

"I took those words to heart," Saki said, "and when I set foot into a tank, stopped thinking about what my dad would think or how well my mom expected me to do. I found that I not only enjoyed it more, but did better at it."

"That makes sense," Hisa said. "A bit of pressure can motivate people to try harder, but if it's too much for them to deal with, they crack and are unable to focus."

"So you're getting to when you did tankery in the past, Miyanaga-san?" Nodoka said.

"That's correct, Haramura-san; my sister and I went to Hanekoma Middle School and joined our school's tankery team together," Saki said. "I'm not entirely sure, but... there may have been another girl with us."

"Is there anyone I would know?" Miho said. "I know many of those who are now second- and third-years at Black Forest," Miho said. "It's possible that if this girl knew you and your sister and didn't give up tankery, she's at Black Forest now."

"I'm not sure; I think she was a year-mate" Saki said. "My memory of her... is somewhat fuzzy, but I think her name was Mizuho."

"I wouldn't know, then," Miho said.

"But I do know that my sister had a friend there- Hirose Sumire-senpai," Saki said. "She's not the girl I'm thinking of, though."

"Oh, her!" Miho said. "I remember Sumire-san being one of Teru-san's old friends. Was she your teammate, Miyanaga-san?"

"Actually, now that I think about it, she was on another team," Saki said. "We were the gunners in our respective teams and Hirose-senpai, being older and more experienced, helped me out from time to time at practice. She seems serious and aloof at first glance, but is a nice person once you get to know her."

* * *

_Three years ago_

Saki, sitting in the gunner's seat of a Char B1 Bis, lined up her sights with the target, took aim, and pulled the trigger. The shell sailed through the air and struck the center of the target.

"Excellent work, Saki," Sumire said.

"Thank you, Hirose-senpai," Saki said. "I'm finding it easier to make my shot once I focus on the shot itself, rather than worrying about the outcome of the game.

"There will be times when you'll need to make a difficult shot in the middle of a firefight, often with a window of opportunity that lasts for mere seconds," Sumire said. "But you have the right idea, and calmness will go a long way in ensuring that your shells reach their target, no matter how difficult the shot, or how desperate the situation."

Saki smiled and nodded. She then started to climb out of the tank.

"Wait, Saki, did you forget to put your socks back on when you changed into your tankery uniform?" Sumire said.

"Oh… I guess so," Saki said, slightly embarrassed.

Saki changed back into her school uniform. After she did, she and Sumire, who had done the same, met up with Teru. Teru walked over, while talking with a girl Saki's age who had blonde hair that went past her shoulders.

"Hi, Saki, Sumire," Teru said. "How was gunnery practice?"

"Very good, Onee-chan," Saki said. "I learned a lot."

Sumire nodded in agreement.

"It went quite well, Teru," Sumire said. "Saki has improved considerably."

"That's good to hear," Teru said with a smile. "Thanks for helping my sister."

"It was nothing," Sumire said modestly. While Teru and Sumire were known to have similarly aloof and calm dispositions in their time at Black Forest, Teru's cheerful and affable nature was in stark contrast to Sumire.

Saki's parents were the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. She was doing tankery, her own way, alongside her sister, and no longer thinking of it as something that she had to do well or could not do at all. If she could keep enjoying it with her sister, then she would not need either of her parents' approval.

* * *

_Present day_

"It was quite fun back then, practicing at tankery with my sister and the others," Saki said.

Miho smiled, recalling a few such times from her past, when she had the same feeling. Now that she had started enjoying tankery again, she started thinking of those times more often than she did at Black Forest.

"Did you ever end up going to the tournament?" Nodoka said. "I competed last year, but I don't think I ever encountered you or your school."

Nodoka's seemingly innocuous question gave Saki pause. The assembled listeners realized that they were now getting to the part of her story that was most difficult for her to tell.

"Now that I think about it, yes, we did…" Saki said. "I think we went to the tournament, and then, in the first round…"

Saki trailed off, seemingly quivering as she did, and an awkward silence followed for a few seconds.

"And then what happened?" Nodoka said.

"I'm sorry…" Saki said. "My memory around that time… fails me. I believe we lost the first match, but I only know because I heard later. But I do know that around that time… my parents ended up separating and my sister stopped talking to me."

Nodoka and Miho were left speechless. Miho recalled hearing that Teru had done quite well at the tournaments she had entered in her first and second years of middle school, so Teru being eliminated so early on was surprising. But while Miho knew how seriously some people took winning in tankery, she was hesitant to believe that a mere defeat in tankery was true the source of Teru's enmity toward Saki.

"One of the only memories I have of that time is going to my sister in her hospital room and trying to get her to say something- anything to me, but she said nothing to me," Saki said.

"Teru-san was hospitalized in the past?" Miho said, incredulous to hear something that Teru had never told her before. "What happened?"

Saki, however, remained silent, with a blank expression on her face. Myriad questions came to the minds of those who heard the story, but they realized that any of them would get the same response.

"What happened after your sister was released from the hospital, Miyanaga-san?" Nodoka said.

"Not long after she got out, my parents separated, and my mother and sister moved out," Saki said. "I did see them one last time before they left, though."

* * *

_Three years ago, after the tournament._

"That should be the last of our belongings," Saki's mother, Miyanaga Keiko, said emotionlessly as she finished loading her car in the parking lot near their apartment building, while Teru stood near the open trunk. She then sighed and looked at her younger daughter- the one she was leaving behind, with a mix of wistfulness, and regret.

One part of Saki wondered why Keiko did not so much as say goodbye to her soon to be estranged husband. Another part of her questioned why she would even have to say goodbye at all. Still another concluded that even if things between her parents had to end this way, the same did not apply to her and her sister.

"Onee-chan," Saki said. "This could very well be the last time we see each other. Are you sure you don't want to hear what I have to say?"

Teru frowned.

"How could I talk to you about what happened when you don't even understand the first thing about it?" Teru said.

That question, the last thing Teru said while directly addressing Saki, echoed in Saki's mind. After a moment, Saki spoke.

"You're right, Onee-chan, I don't understand," Saki said. "That's why I want to talk with you about it."

Teru paused for a moment, considering her words, and shook her head.

"Let's go, Mom," Teru said, turning to Keiko without looking back at Saki.

Keiko sighed. A part of her wanted to prevent a rift from forming between her daughters the same way one had formed between her and her soon-to-be-estranged husband. And another part believed that she could not tell Teru to talk things over with Saki without sounding like a hypocrite, much less say what was necessary to get them to talk things over. She had privately asked Teru to hear Saki out, but heard the same response that Teru had just given her sister.

"I'm sorry things turned out this way, Saki," Keiko said. "And I'm sure I've asked you this before, but are you certain of your decision to give up tankery?"

"I've thought it over, Mom," Saki said. "But I don't see any way I could continue after what happened."

Teru bit her lip, suppressing her anger, as Saki continued to allude to the event without speaking its name out loud. The last time they had anything close to a conversation, Teru had told Saki that her ignorance _was_ the problem, and she doubted that explaining anything would help her understand.

Keiko sighed, disappointed.

"Very well, then, I won't ask you to reconsider again," Keiko said. "We'll be leaving now, Teru."

"Yes, Mom," Teru said, getting into her usual seat in the car and closing the door behind her.

"Goodbye, Saki," Keiko said, "I…" Keiko paused as she tried to find the words to say when she did not know whether she would see her younger daughter again. "I wish you well in the future."

"Goodbye, Mom," Saki said. "Until I see you again."

Not sure of how to respond, Keiko got into the car, started the ignition, and, after Saki stepped away, backed out of the parking space, and drove off.

Saki stood there, watching the car pull onto the street, stop at a red light, and then drive on, straight ahead and out of sight. After it dawned on her that the car had left, seemingly forever, she briefly imagined herself rewinding as if it were a movie, seeing the car back into the parking lot and pull into the parking space, her mother and sister getting out, unpacking and returning home.

Saki walked back into her family's apartment- which would not be theirs for much longer, as her father was in the process of moving to a smaller apartment. She glanced around the living room, and saw that the bookshelves were notably sparser; all the books on tankery were gone, as her father had insisted that her mother take them, lest he donate them to a used book sale.

"Dad… Mom and my sister left," Saki said as her father walked into the living room.

"I see…" Kai said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Saki noticed that although her father had succeeded in getting her to give up tankery, he was not completely or even partially happy over this development. Was this what he had wanted? Did he think that having the final word in the argument was worth his family breaking apart? Saki believed the answer to both of those questions was "no."

Perhaps it meant that, like with many things that had been lost, Kai had only truly realized the value the Miyanaga family had once it had been shattered. Perhaps he still remembered the happier times, when they spent time together as a family, rather than being split apart over their differences.

And yet, if this was true, he was not doing anything to bring them back, convinced that they were gone forever. Saki had to concede that the likelihood of her parents smoothing over their differences was slim. But while it somehow seemed natural for things, even bonds between people, to be destroyed so easily and senselessly, Saki did not want it to happen to her family.

Saki was certain about one thing, however- that she did not know of a method to reach out to Teru now that words had failed. And yet, in spite of that, she refused to accept that her sister could simply shut her out of her life so easily.

Saki already knew of many situations in which words failed, but realized that one thing those situations had in common was that the people who tried to resolve them moved on to their next option, albeit not the one they most wanted to use. But what was her Plan B?

* * *

_Present day_

"So my sister and I separated, around the time she went on to attend high school at Black Forest," Saki said. "I would therefore be unable to see her at school, when we got home from school, or when we went home on vacation."

"So did you never see your sister again after that?" Nodoka said.

"I did get to see my sister again in the somewhat recent past," Saki said. "It was in my last year of middle school, while I was touring high schools. Black Forest was first on my list of schools to tour, and I hoped to encounter my sister there."

* * *

_Last year  
_

Saki stood with several other prospective applicants for Black Forest Peak Women's College, accompanying a guide on a tour of the school.

Saki wondered why she had even signed up for the tour of Black Forest, believing that she would never get in, much less get onto their tankery team. She also believed that there was next to no chance of encountering her sister this way. But there was a part of her that was still compelled to try.

The tour guide led Saki through the halls of the school, and stopped by the table that the tankery team had set up near its barracks.

"Next up is the tankery team, Black Forest's pride and joy," the guide said, glossing over their recent defeat. "Miyanaga Teru-san, one of the two vice-captains of the tankery team, will answer any questions you may have."

Teru sat at the table, sizing up the new arrivals with a discerning eye, a calm yet distant expression on her face. Saki wondered if her sister was mentally calculating what portion of them would end up applying to Black Forest, what portion of the applicants would get in, what portion of the newly matriculated students would try out for the tankery team, and what portion of those would end up being her teammates. Saki wondered if her sister even noticed her as a small queue formed to ask Teru questions, but she reasoned that it was time to make her presence known.

"Thank you for your interest in the team, Oohoshi-san," Teru said to the girl in front of Saki, who had long blonde hair and wore a different middle school's uniform. Something seemed familiar about her, but Saki knew that neither she nor Teru had ever met her before. "Next, please."

"Um, hello, Onee-chan," Saki said nervously. "I was hoping we could talk later, if you had time after this."

Teru eyed Saki coldly, with an exasperated and frustrated look on her face, and shook her head.

"Next, please," Teru said, turning to the next person to approach, listening to a question from Nijou Izumi about where a first-year might start in the team. Teru, getting right to the point, said that it was very unlikely for a first-year to get a spot on Black Forest's tankery team.

Saki meekly walked off. Her worst fears had come true; nothing had changed between her and her sister in their time apart.

And yet, one other thing had not changed. As improbable as it seemed to one part of Saki, Teru had remained in tankery, not just persisting but excelling, becoming the second-in-command to national champion Nishizumi Maho.

An idea occurred to Saki, as she recalled Teru's advice about tankery revealing much about oneself. Teru might be able to ignore Saki's heartfelt pleas and attempts to reach out, but she could not so easily ignore a gun barrel pointed at her tank, or a well-aimed shell striking home. Perhaps even Saki returning to tankery in spite of everything that happened would, in and of itself, be enough.

* * *

_Present day_

"That's an interesting idea, Miyanaga-san," Miho said. "I recall hearing about something like that once before. One of my friends once hated my sister, and refused to talk to her at all, but after facing her in a tankery match, began to understand her better."

"That's what I thought at the time," Saki said. "But after hearing what my sister told you, I have to wonder… does she still think of me? Or did she cast her memories of me aside, like she believes I did with tankery?"

"To think you've been trying so hard for so long…" Nodoka said, "and your sister won't even acknowledge the two of you are related."

Hisa nodded in agreement.

"I'm an only child, but I'm disturbed by the idea of willingly forgetting those who are important to you," Hisa said. "Your sister seems to have been a kind person in the past, Saki; I can't fathom what would cause her to change."

"Neither can I, but, I can't bring myself to accept the way things are," Saki said. "Perhaps, if we face Black Forest in the tournament, I'll be able to find out why she said what she did, at the very least. Perhaps if I see her again, I may be able to ask why she said what she did."

"Still, I must ask, Miyanaga-san," Nodoka said. "Of all the schools you could have chosen, most of which have far better odds of winning the tournament, or at least facing off against Black Forest than we do, why would you come to Oarai?"

"I think you might have told me before, but what did you say your reason was, Haramura-san?" Saki said.

"Well… Yuuki chose to come here," Nodoka said. "Perhaps the tankery program here is merely a fledgling one, but if I could do tankery while remaining with my friends, then it's good enough."

"I didn't have anyone of the sort coming here with me," Saki said. "But then I met you, Haramura-san."

* * *

_Late last year  
_

"All right, everyone!" Hisa said to her group of third-years from various middle schools who were taking a tour of Oarai Academy. "My name is Takei Hisa, treasurer of the Oarai Academy Student Council, and I'll be showing you around our school."

Saki glanced around at the others in her group, as Hisa took attendance, and immediately noticed Nodoka in the group. She read off a few names that Saki did not take notice of or remember.

"Haramura-san?" Hisa said.

"Here!" Nodoka called out. Saki noticed that it was the girl who had stood out in her eyes.

"Kataoka-san?" Hisa said.

"Here, djey!" Yuuki K. said, after swallowing a bite of her taco.

"Miyanaga-san?" Hisa said.

"H-here!" Saki said, suddenly brought to attention.

Hisa read off the last few names.

"Hmmm… that looks like everyone who's here," she said, as everyone on the list had responded to her roll call. "There was someone else who was supposed to come, but is she a no-show? I think her name was…Touyoko-san?"

"Here~su!" Momo T. said, appearing in the middle of the crowd, speaking more loudly than expected and waving her hand.

"Ah, there you are," Hisa said. "Let's get started, shall we?" she said, before beginning the introductory speech talking about Oarai Academy, and then leading the group around campus.

* * *

As the tour wrapped up, Hisa decided to move on to the last of the extracurricular activities, the one that was so far not on a location on campus, since it had not yet been implemented.

"There's one more thing I'd like to mention that we haven't been able to show you thus far," Hisa said. "The school is restarting its tankery program, and we're looking for people with experience. Who here is able to do tanks?"

Nodoka and Yuuki K. raised their hands. Saki remained hesitant for a moment. While she saw tankery as a potential option to help her reconnect with her sister, would she be forced to live up to high standards at this school, especially if she revealed that she had past experience? She wanted to hear more about Oarai's tankery program before committing to anything.

"Haramura-san and Kataoka-san?" Hisa said. "That's good. I would like to let you know, however, that we're just starting out, so you two will likely be some of the more experienced tankers in the school, and may end up mentoring some of your less experienced peers, including even some of your senpais. The school's chance of making it far in the tournament will likely be slim, given that it's likely that few tanks are available. Are you fine with this?"

Hisa believed in full disclosure when it was feasible to do so, and did not wish to give Nodoka or Yuuki K. any illusions about the quality of the team they were about to join, or how much their help was needed.

"Not a problem, djey!" Yuuki K. said. "You serve tacos here, right?"

"Ah, yes, the cafeteria has them as an item sometimes," Hisa said. "And there's a taco place on the ship, fairly close to the school."

"Then it's settled- I'm going here!" Yuuki said enthusiastically. "You coming too, Nodo-chan?"

"Yes," Nodoka said. "I take tankery competitions seriously, but more than that, I'm looking for a school in which I can be at home, doing tankery with my friends. I'd like to stay here for the full three years, and enjoy each one to the fullest while learning as much as I can."

"That's good to hear," Hisa said.

Saki, having heard Nodoka's passion, in seeing tankery as both fun and something she took seriously, was inspired. Perhaps Oarai was an underdog. But if it was, it seemed to have people that would be good crewmates. Perhaps, if nothing else, Saki would enjoy herself here.

Saki then raised her hand.

"I…I've done tankery before, too!" Saki said. "I did it for one year in middle school!"

Hisa smiled. She knew that the other student council members had their own reasons for restarting the tankery program- albeit reasons that she agreed with- but she was glad, above all else, to see that there were students who, whatever their reasons for coming to Oarai were, could find an outlet to pursue their passion in tankery at her school.

* * *

As the tour concluded, Yuuki K. went to the bathroom before meeting up with the others, leaving Saki and Nodoka to talk by themselves.

"Miyanaga-san?" Nodoka said. "I'm glad to hear that you're interested in doing tankery. But why did you hesitate at first?"

"I...didn't always have pleasant experiences with tankery in the past," Saki said. "You see, the year I did tankery in middle school... wasn't _last_ year. I can't really say much more than that, though."

"I see," Nodoka said, hesitating a moment to consider what she could say in response. "It would frustrate me if I lost to someone who didn't like tankery or worse, wasn't trying to win. I'm not the best there is at tankery, and I realize that Oarai isn't likely to get far in the tournament, but I don't think I'm playing around or that my efforts so far have been fruitless. I simply want to do my best for my school- which will be Oarai Academy- and prove to everyone else that I'm good at tankery."

"When you speak of someone who doesn't like tankery, are you referring to me, Haramura-san?" Saki said; Nodoka hesitated to answer, so Saki continued. "At the very least, we won't be on opposite sides. I've decided- I'm coming to Oarai Academy.

"Really?" Nodoka said, a hint of excitement in her voice. "Then I have one request, Miyanaga-san. Please don't hold back or hesitate. For now, I don't know what kind of tanker you are or why you hated it, but if you can do that much, I won't hold you to anything more than that."

Nodoka held out her pinky finger, and Saki took it in hers.

"I promise, Haramura-san!" Saki said.

Saki realized that the goal she set out to accomplish was not an easy one. But she was no longer in it all by herself.

* * *

_Present day  
_

"And that's how Haramura-san, Yuuki-chan and I ended up coming to Oarai Academy," Saki said.

Nodoka realized that Saki had not told the entire story of how she had come to hate tankery- perhaps Saki did not know the entirety of it herself. But Saki had, at the very least, committed herself to doing her utmost for Oarai's sake, and was starting to enjoy tankery as well.

"But how did your father take your return to tankery, Miyanaga-san?" Nodoka said.

"Surprisingly well, it seems," Saki said.

* * *

_The day before Saki submitted her elective choice form_

Saki got a call from her father the evening before she officially submitted her elective application form. The students had been given until the next morning to consider their choice, but Saki had already written her name and put a circle in the box for tankery.

"So, Saki, did you choose your elective yet?" Kai said as the conversation shifted to school.

"I did, Dad," Saki said. "I chose tankery."

"I'm honestly surprised you'd still take tankery," Kai said. "It sounded as though you were quite sure about it when you last left."

"You shouldn't be, Dad," Saki said. "I did leave tankery, but I believe that if I return to it, I'll see my sister again and talk with her. And if I can reach an understanding with her, one day, all of us will come together as a family again."

"I see, but..." Kai said, trailing off.

"Dad?" Saki said.

"...never mind," Kai said. "I don't suppose anything I can say will deter you, though, so I won't try to stop you."

"Thank you, Dad," Saki said.

Saki believed that her father, who had his own opinions but kept them to himself, was easier to please than her mother, who had high expectations for her. And while his decision not to oppose her pursuit was less than some children would have hoped for, it was all she believed she needed from him, at least as far as returning to tankery went.

Saki realized that her father would need to actively and constructively participate in the Miyanaga family's process of reconciliation. But reaching out to her sister- the first step and the only thing she could do by herself- was something she had to do on her own. And while the road ahead would not be easy and getting involved in tankery was only the beginning, Saki believed that her ability to do so without facing opposition from her family was a promising sign.

* * *

_Present day_

"Some might think that my dad just tolerating my doing tankery is relatively little support," Saki said. "But if I can do it, and advance my quest to reach out to my sister, it's all I need for the moment."

"No, I don't think so, Miyanaga-san," Nodoka said. "Your goal is a good one, and that sort of support is what I would gladly settle for, and am fighting so hard to earn for myself."

Saki smiled, but it faded as a realization came to her.

"Oh, and, Haramura-san…" Saki said, after coming to a realization. "It seems a bit awkward for us to be using last names after talking so much and revealing about ourselves."

"Yes, you're right… Saki-san?" Nodoka said.

"Then it's settled… Nodoka-chan?" Saki said, before turning to Miho. "And the same goes for you, senpai?"

"Certainly, Saki-san, Nodoka-san," Miho said.

Miho, Nodoka and Saki herself realized that there were still many unanswered questions concerning Saki's past. But just as Saki had committed herself to Oarai's goal of winning the tournament, they would help her with her own goal as well. While reconciling with Teru was something that only Saki could do, the least Saki's friends could do was ensure that she knew that she had their support when the time came to meet with Teru again.

That day would come sooner than any of them expected.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Thank you for the reviews.

This is the first in a series of several character "Interludes," detailing certain characters' pasts. They alternate between the characters telling their stories to others in the present, and showing what happened at various points in the past, the italicized text indicating when. Keep in mind that the former can occasionally involve "unreliable narrators," as the storytellers might not properly remember everything (the hole in Saki's memories will be filled in a later interlude), but rarely, if ever, outright lie. The latter will sometimes involve things that happened in the past that are relevant to the story but the storytellers don't know about, and which aren't relayed to the people in the present.

For example, the scene in which Teru gave advice to Saki actually happened; some assume that the similar canonical flashback was over-idealized on Saki's part. The flashback I showed and the others, however, happened as they are described. Saki's dialogue about her parents, however, is meant to be taken with a grain of salt, since it is second-hand; in canon, the only thing we know about the Miyanagas and how they treated Saki is a brief line from Saki early on, when explaining why she plays for +/- 0.

As such, the kind of people Saki's parents are remains largely up to your interpretation, but I doubt that anyone will draw an entirely flattering mental picture of them, whether in canon or in this fic.

In these Interludes, you will sometimes see certain events from different perspectives, or some of the same events referenced in other characters' interludes.

The idea Saki gets is similar to the idea Kikuyo gives to Miho about helping Emi understand Maho when Emi's completely unwilling to speak with her.

As always, reviews are appreciated. I'm particularly interested in hearing what you think of how the Interludes work, in terms of concept, layout and execution; there will be several more throughout this fic, as methods of exploring characters' past.

Edited to fix some minor errors.


	8. Despite The Odds

**Chapter 7: Despite the Odds  
**

Not long after the match with BC Freedom, representatives from Oarai and the other schools entering the tournament- their respective commanders and a few others- were called to the official drawing for placement in the national tankery tournament.

Miho, remaining in an inconspicuous spot in the audience, recognized many of the others who went before and after her, choosing a number that would decide their place in the tournament, who they would face first, and who would likely be their next opponents if they advanced onward.

From Black Forest Peak Women's College, there was her older sister. From BC Freedom Academy, there was Kei A., whom Miho had recently faced. From Pravda High School, there was the commander who had defeated Black Forest the previous year, who wore her ruby red hair in a ponytail and had a confident grin on her face.

As for the others, Miho had heard about most of them, even many of those she had not yet met. Some had been in command the previous year. Others had been outstanding performers in their teams. Still others came into their schools with outstanding records. Miho had to wonder whether any of them, were, like she was, one of the few at their school with tankery experience, large fishes in small ponds.

There was Bosporu High School's commander, a diminutive girl with short brown hair who had to call in her exceptionally tall friend and teammate, a girl with long dark hair and a wide-brimmed black hat, to help her pick her number. There was Anzio High School's commander, with a smirk on her face and her pale green hair braided into twintails. There was Chihatan Academy's commander, a well-endowed girl with dark hair who wore a miko robe instead of her school or tankery uniform. There was St. Gloriana Women's Academy's commander, who had shoulder-length blonde hair; her red left eye was open, and her right was shut. There was Saunders College High's commander, who had long blonde hair and wore her uniform somewhat loosely. There was Joghurt Academy's commander, a girl with brown hair in a ponytail, who glanced up at an old woman in the audience when the time came for her to draw her number. There were several others, whom Miho did not recognize, and who did not stand out in her mind.

Finally, Miho's turn came, and she stepped forward, toward the box, picked out a number, and showed it to everyone.

Miho looked at her placement in the tournament, and realized that her first opponent was Anzio Academy. There were worse opponents she could have gotten in the first round, but Anzio was not to be trifled with, and while their tanks were not as strong as those of other schools, they outnumbered, and often outgunned, Oarai's tanks.

Remembering the practice match against BC Freedom, Miho understood that her team had a long way to go. But while the odds seemed long, and victory was not guaranteed, Miho could not help but enjoy it.

* * *

After the drawing ended, Anglerfish Team and Sparrow Team went to a nearby tankery cafe for some dessert. Yukari could barely contain her joy as she summoned the waitress with a Type 90-shaped buzzer that played the sound of a tank shell firing, and when her and her friends' tank-shaped cakes came on the back of an automated Dragon Wagon. To a lesser extent, Miho, Hisa, Mako S., Nodoka and Yuuki K. liked the touches, as well as a cafe that played to one of their hobbies.

As the teams started on their desserts, the conversation shifted back to the tournament.

"So we've made it to the tournament," Saori said, excited at the prospect of facing off against the best teams in Japan. "I wonder if a boy will send me a fan letter- or even a love letter- if we get on TV."

"The matches will be televised, but only a handful of players get a lot of coverage," Miho said. "You typically have to stand out in some way to get on TV, like being a commander, taking out the flag tank in a big game, or so forth."

What Miho left unspoken was the fact that said attention was not always positive. Most people who knew about tankery knew Miho's name, after the last tournament. But for the moment, unless Oarai achieved something extraordinary- although something as small as a tournament victory might be extraordinary for an underdog- few would know where she had gone after leaving Black Forest.

Yukari, while always eager to talk about tankery, realized that the conversation was going somewhere that might prove uncomfortable to Miho, and decided to remain silent for the moment, so that she could let it drop.

The Oarai girls were not alone in the tankery cafe, nor were they even the only tankers who had come.

Maho, accompanied by Erika and Teru, walked past the seated Oarai girls, on her way out of the tank café. Even considering Teru's large appetite for sweets, they had finished well before them, and some of Teru's teammates had already left. As they passed, Erika noticed Miho, her former superior as vice-captain, out of the corner of her eye. A smug grin crossed Erika's face.

"Vice-captain?" Erika said, getting Miho's attention. "Ah, I mean, _former_ vice-captain."

Miho, who had immediately recognized Erika, cringed as she could tell that the meeting would not, in any way, be pleasant for her. This was only reinforced when she glanced at Erika's side and saw her sister, as well as her former fellow vice-captain, Teru.

"Onee-chan… Teru-san…" Miho said.

Maho glanced at Miho, trying not to let her expression betray her surprise, or any number of other emotions.

Miho was considered a pariah by a noticeable and vocal portion of Black Forest's tankery team- but not necessarily all or even most of the team- as someone who had failed at a crucial moment and resigned and transferred out in disgrace. Her and Maho's mother had ordered Maho to be mindful of how she approached her when others were watching, since it would not be good for the commander to be seen associating with a disgraced vice-captain, especially not when Maho, by having nominated Miho to become her vice-captain, was seen as partly responsible.

What could Maho say in this situation that was not overly cruel but did not compromise her position, something that was not a blatant lie but did not reveal a truth she had to keep hidden? The only thing that came to mind was what seemed obvious- she didn't expect Miho to still be willing to do tankery after everything that had happened, and all she had been through.

"I didn't think you'd still be doing tankery," was all Maho could say.

Miho's expression slumped, saddened to hear this. Her face seemed to say _"Is that all you have to say to me, Onee-chan?"_ The unspoken question echoed in Maho's mind, and there were few responses she could think of that did not sound like excuses to her.

"_Forgive me, Miho…_" Maho thought.

"If you'll permit me to say something, I don't think Miho-san made the wrong decision in the last tournament," Yukari said, standing up to face Erika.

"Sorry, permission denied," Erika said smugly. "Mind your own business."

"I'm sor-" Yukari began, before Hisa, having overheard the conversation from where she sat in the adjacent booth, stood up and faced Erika.

"Don't be, Yukari," Hisa said. "Winning is a good goal, one that is worth pursuing, but there are things more important than victory. Sometimes you achieve them by winning, and sometimes you must sacrifice victory for their sake. What's more important than anything else is that you never lose sight of what you're trying to accomplish or what matters most. Miho did what she did because she understood that, and could keep things in perspective."

Maho gave a slight nod at Hisa's point, almost subconsciously, but Erika scoffed.

"I suppose you would know," Erika said. "After all, you walked away from your team at the middle school tournament three years ago, didn't you?"

Hisa turned surprised- how did Erika know about what had happened back then? But while she disliked having it brought up, she realized there were many things Erika did not know, and were none of Erika's business.

"...I don't feel as though I need to explain myself to _you,"_ Hisa said defensively.

"Let it go, Erika," Teru said. "Some people have parts of their past that they don't wish to talk about."

Saki, after hearing her sister's voice, turned around in her seat and looked at the group. Since the last time she saw her sister, she had been paralyzed by the fear that unless something significant happened, no encounter with her sister would go any better than the last time she had seen Teru. But on this occasion, a sudden impulse- the burning desire to know why her sister would deny their relationship- seized Saki.

"Onee-chan?" Saki called out. "It's me, Saki."

Teru froze upon hearing Saki call out to her, only noticing Saki at that moment. The last time she had heard her sister's voice was in the relatively recent past, but she never expected to hear from Saki again, here, now, and in the company of the newly revived Oarai tankery team.

"Why, Onee-chan?" Saki said. "Why did you tell Miho-senpai and the others you don't have a sister?"

Teru remained silent. She had never expected that word of her denying that she had a sister would get out- what were the odds that Miho, the one person not currently at Black Forest she had told this to, would end up going to the same school as Saki? That both would return to tankery together after they believed they had given it up permanently?

When Teru had left the Miyanagas' home for the last time with her mother, she believed she would likely never see Saki again. And given how things were between her and Saki the last time they were together, Teru never expected to hear from her again, either.

Teru had to wonder- why was Saki trying so hard to reach out to her? Did she not realize that what was done was done? That what had happened before the Miyanagas split apart could not be reversed? That if Saki still understood as little as she did on that day, nothing would change between them?

After taking a moment to compose herself, Teru turned away from Saki and started to walk away.

"I'll be going on ahead, Commander, Erika," Teru said, desperately trying to keep her composure.

"Wait, Onee-chan!" Saki called out. Teru quickened her pace upon hearing Saki address her as an older sister.

Miho pondered whether to ask Teru about what had just happened, but no longer felt up to doing so. She was now an outsider to Black Forest, and she had no more reason to believe that Teru would answer the question if she asked it than she had reason to believe she would answer her own sister.

"Let's go, Erika," Maho said, trying to keep her tone level and hide her desire to remove herself from this situation that was unpleasant for her, Miho and Saki.

"Yes, Commander," Erika said, before turning back to face Oarai. "You're up against Anzio first? Make sure you don't lose badly enough that you disgrace the Nishizumi name."

"What is your problem?" Saori said.

"Don't look down on us, djey!" Yuuki K. said. She believed BC Freedom had fought well, and that if Oarai was being derided as weak, then it was not only an insult against Oarai, but also its opponents. To her, it was implying that those who had managed to defeat her school had not made any great accomplishment, and those her school had defeated were even weaker by comparison.

"You should not make light of our efforts!" Nodoka said.

"You are being disrespectful!" Hana said to Erika.

"I find you people the ones who are disrespectful," Erika said. "Schools that will only embarrass tankery should stay out of the tournament. None of you would even make it onto Black Forest's team, so you should forget any ideas you have of defeating us."

"It'd be pretty interesting if one of those no-name schools happened to beat those that sat in their ivory towers, making up that rule," Mako R. said, not even looking up from her dessert.

Erika glared. The prospect of losing to a school like Oarai, who was unable to field or crew a full team's worth of tanks, much less hand-pick the best tanks and girls, was absurd enough to be a joke, if not a funny one. But why, then, did the prospect concern her so much?

"Let's go," Maho said, the incident having left a bad taste in her mouth.

As Erika walked ahead, out of the tank café, Maho furtively glanced over her shoulder, at Miho. Miho was no happier than she was when the encounter began, but as Miho's eyes met Maho's, they widened in slight surprise.

In that moment, however, Maho also realized that while Miho had separated from her, she was not alone. She had friends whose ideals were similar to her. Perhaps this was the school most suited to her.

Maho walked out of the cafe, preparing to return to her life at Black Forest- the life she had chosen for herself for the sake of allowing Miho to make the decisions that had brought her to Oarai. She resolved to give her family the perfect heiress they sought so that Miho could live her own way and seek success by her own standards, rather than anyone else's.

As Maho recalled Miho's friends standing up to defend her and their school, she suspected that none of them thought well of her, a saddening notion, but not a surprising one. Maho believed that some people would see her as a paragon of an archaic and backwards approach to tankery, likely the teachers and students of the more progressive Atago school of tankery, as well as those who shared their viewpoints. Some would believe her to be uncaring and cold, possibly even Miho herself.

But so long as Miho was happy, Maho was willing to live with what others would think of her. Maho believed Miho was fortunate, and while this day had turned out less than well, there would be happy days for her in the future. That thought brightened Maho's mood, and she hoped that Miho would also come to that realization.

* * *

Back inside the tankery cafe, silence reigned for a moment as the girls pondered what they had heard.

"What gives that girl the right to talk to us like that?" Saori said about Erika.

"Those girls were from Black Forest, a school that had, until last year, a winning streak that was almost a decade long," Yukari said.

"I- well, my team, played against their commander once in middle school," Hisa said. "I didn't really see the match, but apparently her team defeated mine quite soundly."

_"Was this what Erika-san was talking about?"_ Miho thought. But she believed that it was too soon to ask Hisa about this, and was unsure what to say next.

Saori, sensing that the mood had become tense, moved to change the subject. These issues would need to be addressed later, but now was not the time, not when they did not yet have the answers.

"Let's order seconds!" Saori said.

"For me, that would be thirds," Mako said.

For Saki's team, however, changing the subject was a more difficult task.

"I should have known that nothing's changed," Saki said. "My sister still won't answer my questions or talk to me."

"But now Miho-senpai's older sister and the other girl heard you call Miyanaga Teru-san your sister," Nodoka said. "I doubt your sister can still deny that you're related even after those close to her have heard that."

"Of course, who would they believe?" Saki said. "Their teammate, or someone claiming to be her sister?"

Hisa, having since returned to her seat, thoughtfully put her hand on her chin.

"You know, that's a good question, Saki," Hisa said. "It might sound idealistic, but I think that your sister's denying your relationship only worked because no one was able to see anything that contradicted it. And now that contradictory evidence has come up, they'll become suspicious. Miho had just as much reason as they did to not believe that Miyanaga Teru had a sister, but she still believed you. Is that right, Miho?"

"Yes," Miho said. "And I believe that my sister will also come to the same conclusion."

Saki began to eat her dessert again, slightly more hopeful than before.

_"I still don't know why you refuse to speak with me, Onee-chan,"_ Saki said. _"But I believe the day will come when you're forced to confront that issue, and we'll reach an understanding about it- together."_

* * *

As the Black Forest team sailed back to their school ship, which was off the coast of the port city where the drawing had taken place, Maho called Teru aside for a private conversation below decks. Maho had, like Miho, heard Teru deny having any siblings when she first met her, and had also accepted that. But like Miho, Maho's meeting Saki and hearing her claim to be Teru's sister caused her to question this belief.

"Teru?" Maho said, as she met with Teru. "I have a question for you."

"Go ahead, Commander," Teru said, already anticipating Maho's question.

"You once said that you had no siblings, but that girl- I think she said her name was Saki- seemed to know you, and claimed that you were her sister," Maho said. "Is it true?"

"…Was I lying back then?" Teru said defensively, after a beat.

"I don't believe so," Maho said. "And yet, I looked at the student roster for Oarai's team earlier, and found a 'Miyanaga Saki' among them. I thus find it difficult to believe that the girl who said she was your sister was lying or mistaken. I simply want to hear it from you- are you and she sisters?"

Teru sighed. It was clear that she could not dodge the issue of whether she was related to Saki, but she hoped to tell Maho just enough that she would not inquire further.

"That depends," Teru said. "Is she my sister, or do I consider her as such?"

"I beg your pardon?" Maho said, somewhat confused.

"Family is more than about blood relations," Teru said. "It's possible for someone who's not related to you by blood to be considered family." As she paused, Teru's eyes seemed wistful for a moment, but her expression soon turned cold before she resumed. "The opposite is true, too, and I believe you understand what I mean."

A chill went through Maho. She had considered the possibility of Miho being disowned, and the prospect of Teru essentially doing the same to her own sister was more disturbing than she cared to imagine.

"So… it's the latter," Maho said hesitantly, and Teru nodded.

"That is all I care to say about this subject, Commander," Teru said. "I hope that answered your question."

"It did," Maho said. "I apologize, Teru. I don't know what happened between you and Saki, much less whether anything could justify treating your sister that way, but I will not pry into this matter further."

"Thank you," Teru said flatly, and Maho got up to leave. "One more thing, Commander," Teru said, stopping Maho in her tracks.

"Yes?" Maho said.

"It may sound hypocritical for me to point this out, but I'm aware that you have to often act in a way that does not indicate what you are truly feeling at the moment while you are commander," Teru said. "Because of that, and because of personal experience, I happen to know that you weren't acting like yourself when we encountered Miho today. I'm not sure how many others have any idea of your true nature, but you should not think of me as the only one who has realized this- rather, as the only one who has come to you about this. Please keep this in mind."

"I will," Maho said. "I'll see you later, Teru."

Maho walked onto the deck and stood outside, lost in thought for several minutes. She was well aware that some outsiders, especially those who had siblings of their own, considered her treatment of Miho appalling, but Maho herself knew what Miho meant to her. Teru, alone with someone whom she trusted to keep her secrets, coldly denied that Saki was her sister, and had previously refused Saki's sincere attempts at reconciliation. Something was at play here, but Maho saw nothing that seemed to justify such cold treatment of one's own family.

And yet, if Maho understood so little, she could not tell Teru what to do regarding her sister- perhaps there was no solution, at least not one Teru could do herself. Or perhaps Teru was right and it was none of her business. But every time Maho wondered if she should leave things as they were, Saki came into her mind, pleading for her sister to speak with her, which struck painfully close to home for Maho. While no solution seemed apparent, it did not seem right to do nothing. But to do anything, Maho needed more information about Saki and Teru- information that Teru was unwilling to provide.

As Maho was sifting through her thoughts and memories, Sumire, who, as in the past, was Teru's gunner, approached her, having briefly spoken with Teru after her meeting with Maho concluded.

"Do you have a minute, Commander?" Sumire said.

"I do," Maho said. "Would you like to talk with me about something, Sumire?"

"It's about Teru," Sumire said. "She mentioned that you were asking about her sister. As perhaps the only friend Teru has left, while I don't want to breach her confidentiality, I'd like to help you understand her more."

"Please do," Maho said.

"You perhaps noticed that she was not acting like she usually does around you when we encountered her sister at the café, or when you asked her about it?" Sumire said.

"I did," Maho said.

"I suppose you can guess it by now, but the behavior she's shown around you- whether politely acquiescing to your orders or giving a cheerful smile at press conferences- is largely a façade," Sumire said.

Maho, immediately reminded of Teru's parting comment, nodded in understanding.

"In other words, she's not entirely unlike me, although I'm not as sure what she's hiding," Maho said. "But then again, most people have to conceal a great deal of their thoughts and feelings in everyday life, especially when dealing with those more powerful than they are."

"You have the right idea," Sumire said. "I've known Teru since we were in middle school, and know the person she is, as well as the person she used to be."

"She changed in the past?" Maho said. "What exactly happened?"

Sumire sighed. Maho had decided to get right to the heart of the matter, which was the part Sumire least wanted to disclose.

"It seems as though Teru didn't tell you, so I don't feel that it is my place to do so in her stead," Sumire said. "But be warned, Commander- your inquiries about her past draw you closer to a dark time in her life, and painful memories."

"Is she trying to distance herself from those memories by cutting herself off from anything that would remind her of them?" Maho said. She paused to gauge Sumire's reaction, but Sumire's expression never changed, not wanting to confirm or refute any of Maho's theories. "Perhaps it's not my place to say this, because I don't know the entire story, but I don't think Teru will be able to succeed."

While Maho had her opinions on this matter, she had no desire to make the same mistake others did regarding her- judging her unfavorably with the information they had, without acknowledging the possibility that they were wrong, misinformed or did not know the entire story.

"You aren't wrong to think so, Commander," Sumire said, "If Saki has come to this tournament and we end up facing her, Teru may very well be forced to confront the demons from her past again- or at least, I hope she does."

"Saki and Miho's school is on the other side of the brackets," Maho said. "They will have to defeat not just Anzio, but two other strong opponents in order to reach us."

"You sound as though you're hoping that they do, Commander," Sumire said.

"We at Black Forest are only expected to defeat whichever opponents come before us in a tankery match," Maho said. "As long as we're able to do that, there's no harm in taking an interest in and watching over a potential rival."

_"Still..."_ Maho thought. _"Your friend made quite a bold claim, Miho. Despite the odds against you, I'm interested in seeing how far you can go in living up to it."_

* * *

Over the next few days, the Oarai tankery team practiced in preparation for the tournament, addressing many of the problems that they saw at play in their practice match with BC Freedom. The group worked on moving as a group, and sticking to plans, with Ami giving help on various tactical maneuvers in addition to overseeing their practices and giving pointers on what needed improvement. The gunners further practiced their aiming, to ensure that they would be able to make critical shots.

The fabric club made simple tankery uniforms for the students- gray jackets that they would wear with their school uniforms' undershirts and jackets. It was a small touch, albeit not an expensive one. In spite of that, much of the team, especially the volleyball club, liked the new sense of team identity.

All the tanks were painted into more appropriate colors, and each of them only had two identifying marks painted on them- the Oarai Academy logo and a mark designating which team they were. Those marks became the teams' names, and as permanent means to identify the teams.

Miho and her friends became known as Anglerfish Team, a name the Student Council chose because of Oarai's mascot for their leading team- and to remind them of the Anglerfish Dance. The volleyball team became known as Duck Team, apparently because of the shape of the Type 89. The history club became known as Hippo Team, as a result of the size and width of the StuG, as well as its natural gray color. The crew of first-years became known as Rabbit Team, with its cute yet threatening mascot meant to signify the potential threat the seemingly harmless first-years posed to their enemies. The mahjong club became known as Sparrow Team, chosen in tribute for their love of mahjong. Hisa and her crew became known as Octopus Team- Yuuki K. had chosen the name herself while munching on a taco. The rest of the Student Council became known as Turtle Team, a name Anzu chose seemingly at random to fit with the others.

The general consensus among the team was that the logos made it easier to tell which tanks belonged to which groups, as well as which teams were which, since some had difficulty telling which group was being spoken of at the moment over the radio. Miho and Hisa agreed, saying that while having official names for each team was important, it might be helpful if they were easy to remember.

Of course, the team's problems could not be solved by simply repainting the tanks, nor could the disparity in experience be overcome in the time they had. But the team remained committed to trying, determined to prove that Yasuko, Erika and all the other naysayers were wrong.

* * *

A few days later, Miho was preparing to go home, but went back to the classroom to pick up a book she had left behind. She paused a moment, watching the sun set out of the school windows, which, at the moment, were facing west.

Miho's concentration was disrupted by the sound of a tank cannon firing. Miho walked toward the sound, going out of the classroom, through the hall, down the stairs and outside the building. She walked some distance and found that Anglerfish team had stayed behind for an after school practice session.

"Everyone, you're still practicing?" Miho said.

"Of course," Saori said.

"We'd like to show your sister and the others that your way of doing tankery isn't wrong, Miho-san," Hana said.

"That's true," Mako began. "While that girl with silver hair…"

"Itsumi Erika-san," Miho said. "She's a vice-captain for Black Forest starting this year. As she implied, I was her predecessor in that position, and both of us worked alongside Teru-san."

"Ah, her," Mako said. "She might have a bad attitude and is full of herself, but she probably is at least good enough to justify that, or can hide behind those who are better than her. So the only thing we can do is bring ourselves up to their level."

"Yes, we'll have to practice hard," Yukari said. "Like you said, Reizei-dono, it would be a good thing if a school like ours was able to defeat them, but as it stands now, our only advantage is that they don't believe it can happen."

"We're going to have to do it, regardless of how much of a disadvantage we're at," Momo K. said. Miho turned around and noticed the Student Council.

"Yes, if we don't win, our school…" Yuzu began before Anzu silenced her, putting he fingers on her own lips and shushing.

"In any case, with Black Forest on the opposite side of the tournament brackets, we won't have to deal with them immediately, but we'll most likely face them in the final round," Anzu said.

"Still, Anzio is our first order of business," Miho said. "We don't know much about their tank lineup, since they're a relative unknown, although virtually everyone's at an advantage over us. It might be nice if we could find out some more information."

"That's true," Hisa said. "From what I heard, Anzio tends to try new things, as well as relatively unconventional tactics, from year to year. If we want to find out their strategy this year, we'll have to find out about their commander."

Yukari listened intently, as an idea came to her. It was not exactly a conventional tactic, and had a relatively small chance of succeeding, but the same could be said of Oarai's bid for winning the tournament.

* * *

The next day, at practice, Miho and Hisa stood in front of the others, taking attendance. They noticed that the almost entire rest of the team had showed up- a pleasing sign, since they feared they might be demoralized after the loss to BC Freedom- save for one person.

"I don't see Akiyama-san here," Miho said.

"She didn't show up for class, either," Hisa said. "Otherwise, either of 'the Makos' would have seen her."

"Yeah, I'm quite good at remembering people's faces, when I have my glasses on," Mako S. said, "especially someone like Yukari, whom I've known for a while and see regularly."

"I might be late almost every day, but I typically show up," Mako R. said. "Still, even the people with the best attendance have some gaps in it due to unforeseen circumstances."

"Well, regarding Akiyama-san, we can find out after practice," Miho said. "Let's get started, shall we?"

* * *

After practice ended, Miho, Hana, Saori and Mako began walking. As their attempts to reach Yukari by cell phone failed, they decided to go to her house to ask in person. Perhaps, in a worst-case scenario, her parents would need to know about what was going on.

"I think Akiyama-san lives somewhere around here, right?" Miho said.

"Her family runs the Akiyama barbershop," Hana said.

After a little while, they came to the Akiyama barbershop and entered. They saw two people- a woman with short hair and a man with glasses and a goatee- tending the barbershop. They wore an apron with the shop's logo over dress shirts and slacks.

"Hello, how may I help you?" Akiyama Jungorou, Yukari's father said.

"Excuse me, but is Akiyama Yukari-san here?" Miho said. "We're some friends of hers."

"She left for school today and isn't back ye-," Jungorou said. "FRIENDS?"

"Calm down, dear," Akiyama Yoshiko, Yukari's mother, said.

"But-but- Yukari brought home _friends_!"

"I heard that," Yoshiko said. "Thank you so much for taking care of Yukari. You can wait in her room until she comes home."

"Sorry for the intrusion," Miho said. "Is it really the first time?"

"I remember her meeting a girl last year- Someya-san, I believe- but Yukari never brought her or their mutual friend Takei-san to the house," Yoshiko said. She opened the door to Yukari's room. "Anyway, girls, make yourselves at home. I'll come up if Yukari arrives."

The rest of Anglerfish Team sat down in Yukari's room, which was full of tank-related books, including books about tanks and tankery, tank models, a large radio, and more. There was also more mundane things, such as a wide-screen TV, an Oarai school uniform hung in the closet, and a photo of Yukari with her parents; Yukari wore a school uniform while her parents wore suits. Miho guessed that it had been taken when Yukari first entered Oarai Academy.

Shortly after they settled into the room, Yukari entered through the window. She was wearing the pants and top from a convenience store's uniform, and under the top, the dress shirt and necktie of the Anzio Academy school uniform; the tails of Yukari's shirt were not tucked into her pants, indicating a hasty changing job.

"Akiyama-san!" Miho said, surprised by Yukari's method of entry and appearance.

"Nishizumi-dono!" Yukari said, and, upon a closer look, saw the other three members of Anglerfish Team. "Everyone! Why are you here?"

"We were just worried about you," Saori said. "You weren't at school and we couldn't reach you by cell phone."

"Ah, that's right, I had it turned off," Yukari said. "It might have been a problem if it rang at an inopportune time while I was still working."

"Working on what?" Miho said.

Yukari pulled out a flash drive from her pocket.

"This!" Yukari said. "The results of my reconnaissance mission into Anzio Academy!"

Yukari plugged the flash drive into her computer and opened the video file on it before pressing Play.

* * *

_Earlier that day, while Yukari was infiltrating Anzio  
_

Yukari walked into Anzio through a side entrance, one near a spot where trucks could unload their goods. Upon entering, Yukari saw a nearby bathroom, apparently fro the school's workers, and entered the ladies' room.

"I've entered the building," Yukari said. "Now that I'm in a student bathroom, I'll do some changing." Yukari started to take off her top, but paused midway. "But first..."

Realizing the camera was still on, Yukari hastily shut it off.

Inside Anzio's auditorium, Anzai Chiyomi, better known as "Duce Anchovy," walked up to the podium, accompanied by her second-in-command, Carpaccio. The sound of applause echoed until Anchovy motioned for silence.

"Buongiorno, everyone, and thank you for coming to the meeting for our plan for our first match," Anchovy said. She then turned on the slideshow projector, and showed slides of several tanks that Yukari recognized even before Anchovy named them.

"Here are the tanks we will use in our strategy," Anchovy said. "We will have one Semovente 75/18, three Fiat M13/40s, three Carro Amato P 26/40s, and three Carro Veloce L3 35s."

Yukari raised her hand.

"And what about the flag tank?" Yukari said.

"We can't be sure which will be chosen as the flag tank until the match, but we'd like it to be a Carro Amato L3 35," Anchovy said. "That way, we can devote our heavier tanks to the offensive."

"You really want to use the Carro Veloces?" Yukari said. "Aren't they really weak, and unable to pierce the armor of other tanks with their machine guns?"

"That's true," Anchovy said. "But you should know by now that apart from the other seven tanks, those are essentially all we have. We'll put them to good use, though, luring the enemy into a trap and taking out their strong tanks by using ours."

An uneasy silence followed, punctuated by several students murmuring questions.

"She's an Anzio tanker and she doesn't know this?"

"Why would she ask such a question?

"I've never seen her around here."

Anchovy, either having heard the questions or coming to the same conclusion on her own, pointed at Yukari. She didn't know everyone on her team, but Yukari's face seemed unfamiliar, and it was time to call her on it. If she was wrong, she could dismiss the question as a mere precaution. If she was right, they had an intruder on their hands.

"You there," Anchovy said. "State your name, class number and student ID number."

"Uh... 6th Armored Division, Oddball, Sergeant Third Class!" Yukari said.

The room went silent, and Yukari could imagine the sound of crickets chirping; perhaps she would edit that into the video later.

"Is it... some fictional character's name?" one girl said while talking with her friend.

"Maybe from a comic book?" her friend said.

"No, I'm thinking some moronic gag anime," the first girl said.

Anchovy paused, trying to decide whether Yukari's alias was a terribly thought-out lie, or an equally terrible attempt at a joke. After a moment, she decided it did not matter.

"Not just a spy, but a smart aleck, too?" Anchovy said. "SEIZE HER!" Yukari sprinted out into the halls, past the bewildered Anzio girls. As the video faded to black, the credits rolled, giving thanks to the Akiyama Barber Shop, the convenience store that made the shipment, and even Anzio Academy itself.

* * *

_Present day_

"So how did you escape?" Miho said, as Yukari stopped the video.

"After eluding my pursuers, I changed back into the convenience store uniform and stowed away on the ship again," Yukari said. "No one recognized me."

"Are you sure you want so many people in the credits?" Mako said. "They could be considered accomplices, you know."

"Pre-match reconnaissance is within the rules," Yukari said. "Besides, I give credit where credit is due."

"As do I," Miho said. "Thank you so much for the help, Akiyama-san. I'm glad you got back safely."

Yukari couldn't help but smile and blush at Miho's expression of gratitude.

"Ah, I almost forgot," Yukari said. "Did you encounter my parents on your way in?"

"Yes, they seem like nice people," Miho said, slightly wistfully. She noticed that Mako had seemed unusually preoccupied with the family photo on Yukari's bookshelf.

"Well, then, I'd rather not be seen entering through the window, dressed like this," Yukari said. "Turn around for a minute, please; I've got to change."

Yukari quickly changed into her Oarai uniform, stowing the Anzio uniform and convenience store uniform in a military-style foot locker in her closet.

"When I come back upstairs, could you please act like I just got in?" Yukari said. She then slipped out the window, climbed down to the ground level, and went around to the front of the building. She then knocked on the door.

"Welcome home, Yukari," Yoshiko said. "Were you out doing something?"

"Yes, on club business," Yukari said.

"This is really quite a surprise, Yukari," Jungorou said. "Your friends came over! It's a real first time!"

Yukari silently hoped that her father had not embarrassed himself in front of her friends, but she couldn't bring herself to disagree with him. It was indeed a first time for her and a joyous occasion at that, so she was glad he recognized it as such.

"_They were right- tankery really does change your life for the better,"_ Yukari said. _"I hope you've realized this too, Nishizumi-dono."_

* * *

_Shortly after Yukari's escape_

Carpaccio walked into Anchovy's office, about two hours after Yukari's hasty escape from Anzio's assembly hall. Initially, they had sent out some hall monitors to flag people down, but had only succeeded in detaining several people with similar hairstyles to Yukari's; once their student IDs were inspected and they were confirmed as being in the registration, the suspects were released.

"Duce, none of the search parties have found anyone suspicious for the last hour," Carpaccio said. "It's most likely that the intruder's gone now."

"She must have escaped on the supply ship," Anchovy said. "We shouldn't have let it leave without searching it."

"So, what will we do now, Duce?" Carpaccio said. "Should we change our plans to make the intruder's information no longer valid?"

"It's a bit late for that," Anchovy said. "We'd have to change our entire battle strategy, our best shot at winning with the tanks we have and the trick our team is most accustomed and best suited to. Still, if we know what the intruder's team is expecting, we can react accordingly"

"The rules aside, you're not at all interested in punishing the intruder, Duce?" Carpaccio said.

"Not at all, Carpaccio," Anchovy said. "It's an interesting strategy, to say the least, and not against the rules, so we can't get them penalized or disqualified for that- not that I like winning in such a way. The fact that Nishizumi Miho would think of and resort to this tactic might indicate that she won't be a complete and utter pushover."

Carpaccio nodded, intrigued by the result. This was the first time Anchovy was going up against an opponent that did not have an established reputation for success, without being fully confident in her chances of victory.

"And yet, if it's her, the result will be the same," Anchovy said. "If she ran away from tankery, she won't have the courage to face us head on while fighting hard enough to triumph. Let's teach her how a real tankery commander leads."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Thank you for the reviews.

EXpertUS: The pacing in Saki quite slow, which is unfortunate, since I suspect that the earliest we'll get a hint of what happened to the Miyanaga family is between the semi-finals and finals.

As for the Achiga girls, there's a reason why they're going to Saunders, not unlike how Shizuno insisted on reviving the Achiga team rather than going to Bansei and trying out for their team.

Stalker117: You may see certain events from other characters' points of view in other Interludes, especially when Teru gets hers later in the fic.

If you've seen Saki, you might recognize some of the commanders described in the first paragraph (here's a hint; the two girls from Bosporu are shorter than Katyusha and taller than Nonna). I tried to replicate how some series give a preview for certain people who might be showing up in a tournament.

This chapter had some scenes from canon, although I tried to make the encounter with the Black Forest commanders different by showing Maho's POV of the event, and also showing an encounter between Saki and Teru.

While Teru denies having a sister in the anime, given that Saki hears about it third-hand, (Teru was specifically asked by Nishida whether there was any relationship between her and Saki, and said no. Mihoko, while being interviewed, asked Nishida if Saki and Teru were related, and Nishida told her about speaking with Teru.), she most likely never expected that Saki would hear it. It could be interpreted that this is in large part the result of Teru not wanting to talk about Saki.

I've noticed that many fanfic writers tend to rewrite the scene in the tank cafe, with their OCs making stronger rebuttals against Erika (as well as Shiho, and to a lesser extent, the Student Council and Maho). I've noticed that they tend to be fairly cliched, saying things like "the lives of your teammates mean more than victory". I think Mako R. had the best rebuttal of all; instead of complaining about Erika's attitude, she simply suggested the one thing that Erika feared most, showing that actions speak louder than words- and this is from the lazy member of Anglerfish Team, of all people! While Yukari made a mistake by backing down, none of the OCs have had any way of reassuring Miho that is more simple yet profound than Yukari's saying that the people Miho saved would be grateful- which not only brings her back to the most important part, but turns out to be true.

As for Hisa's reaction, for now, let's just say that Erika touched on a sensitive subject for Hisa, one that perhaps not even Erika would be callous enough to bring up in an argument if she knew the entire story.

It will be slightly more obvious that Maho cares for Miho here, especially since you can see her thoughts. Additionally, people besides Teru will pick up on it, and Maho and Teru will be contrasted on this aspect of their personalities, as well as others.

Sparrow Team is a reference to mahjong's name, which apparently means "Sparrow" in Chinese. Octopus Team is a bit of a subtler pun; Yuuki K. likes tacos, and, in canon, is disappointed that Mihoko's lunch isn't a taco until she notices some _tako_yaki.

It's interesting contrasting Anchovy and Kay in the infiltration scene, especially considering that Anchovy is humorless and determined to win, in stark contrast to Kay, who actually laughs at Yukari's "Sergeant Oddball" alias.

On a minor note, you might notice that this is called "Chapter 7", even though it's actually Chapter 8 according to the site's numbering; I'll be numbering the Interludes separately. For the sake of convenience, please call the chapters by the numbers given in the story.

Edited to fix a minor error and because I accidentally put in two of the same tank.


	9. Interlude 2: Nodoka

**Interlude 2: Nodoka**

After practice ended at Saunders, Akado Harue, coach of the Saunders tankery team, gathered the team together for an analysis of their performance in practice. The students had changed back into their school uniforms, which consisted of a gray blazer, white dress shirt, red skirt and black necktie.

"Good work, everyone, Harue, said. "But don't let your guard down- it's hard to tell when a small school might arise and take down a reigning champion. We may see ourselves as fighting to defeat Black Forest in spite of the odds against us, but there are many schools smaller and less experienced than us that want to, at the very least, take us down first, so we can't let our guard down."

After Harue left them for the day, some members of the Saunders team gathered around to talk. A few of them were girls who were originally from a small town called Achiga, while the other was Kay, Saunders' commander.

"Harue's unusually serious," Ako said after Harue left. The coach, while assigning intense training and often having the students go into practice matches with each other, was never a stickler for formality, especially to those she knew from long ago. But they, especially the students who knew her from longer ago, knew it was rare for her to impress upon them the stakes of winning, especially when their first opponent, Joghurt Academy, seemed to be a relatively weak one.

"Haru-chan's been down this road before," Sagimori Arata, a girl with short dark hair said. "It's been what, 10 years now, since she was in our position? How happy and confident was she, along with the rest of her team, before that fateful match?"

As Arata spoke, she acknowledged to herself that her perspective on Harue was relatively new. But even so, she knew that even when her perception of Harue was most unfavorable, she still realized the significance of what had happened to her, and found it easy to understand why she would caution her students against growing overconfident.

The team silently pondered the unsettling idea that, whether due to a twist of fate or facing an enemy too strong for them to defeat, all their hopes could be extinguished. As Black Forest had been unexpectedly defeated the previous year, there was no reason to assume that it was not possible for anything of the sort to happen to Saunders- even the first round was no exception. All of them found the discussion a difficult one, but none of them could argue with that idea.

"But anyway," Shizuno said, "Aren't we kind of hoping that an underdog- namely Oarai- will win this time, so that we can face off with Nodoka?"

"Yes, that's right," Matsumi Kuro, a first-year with long brown hair who was an old friend of Nodoka's, said, "But at minimum, we'll need to get to the semi-finals for this to happen. And so will they."

The realization that the reunion that they hoped for was not entirely in their hands was an uncomfortable one.

Arata, sensing the discomfort, and having some things she was curious about, decided to change the subject.

"Um…" Arata said, "I've been meaning to ask for a while, but who exactly is Haramura Nodoka? I feel like the only one here who's never met her. Despite being in Kuro's year, I never met the rest of her friends, since she and I were in different classes from Nodoka, Shizuno and Ako."

Matsumi Yuu, the only third-year of the group of Achiga girls and Kuro's older sister, nodded. She had shoulder-length blonde hair, and tended to dress in thick clothing even in warm weather, as she was especially susceptible to the cold.

"I haven't, either," Yuu said. "Kuro-chan often told me about Nodoka-chan in her letters to me, since I was in middle school when Kuro-chan and the others met her, but I've never actually met her in person."

"Now that I think about it..." Kay said, "I think you might have mentioned Nodoka before, Yuu."

"It all started when we were in sixth grade," Shizuno said. "That's when we first met Nodoka."

* * *

_Meanwhile, at Oarai_

After practice, Saki, Miho, Yuuki K. and Nodoka walked back home together. Their conversation turned to something Nodoka had said before.

"Did you say that you did tankery before coming here, Nodoka-chan?" Saki said.

"That's correct, Saki-san," Nodoka said. "In middle school, Yuuki and I did tankery, but it started well before that. Late in elementary school, I was in a town called Achiga in Nara Prefecture, and I did tankery with some of my friends. I had just moved there, as a result of my father getting a transfer, and was still getting used to living in the town."

Saki nodded in understanding. They passed an ice cream parlor where Saki and Nodoka had ice cream the previous evening, and Saki, for the first time, recognized the building, instead of dismissing it as an anonymous building that was merely part of the scenery on her walks to and from the school. Oarai was still unfamiliar to Saki, and she understood Nodoka's feeling out of place in a new town.

"I did often meet some girls when I was heading to the bus and getting ready to go to school," Nodoka said. "Those girls, Shizuno and Ako, introduced me to their tankery club and they, along with Kuro, became my friends while I lived in Achiga."

* * *

_Four years ago_

Nodoka hurried toward the bus stop that was near her apartment in the suburbs of Achiga, struggling to keep up with two girls she had seen before on a few occasions. Shizuno wore her typical outfit of a tracksuit, which she not only wore while out running, but most of the time when she did not have to wear a uniform. In those days, Ako's hair was shorter, and resembled Yuuki U.'s to an extent.

"Hey, transfer student, hurry up!" Shizuno called out. "The bus is almost there!"

Nodoka panted and gasped for breath as she rushed forward. Athletics was not her strong suit, but she would not have had to run if she had more easily found the bus stop, which was some distance from her house.

"I'm… trying…" Nodoka stammered.

"We've still got some time, Shizu," Ako said. "And it's probable that she doesn't have as much of a chance to exercise where she's from- Tokyo, was it?"

"Yes… that's right," Nodoka said, catching her breath as she reached Shizuno and Ako.

"And I suppose that your frilly fashion sense is also popular there, isn't it?" Shizuno said.

But something else was bothering her. This was not the first time she had moved, and she was already beginning to understand how each time she did, she had to start over- as an outsider to established groups of friends, struggling to find her way on streets that her classmates knew like the backs of their hands, and not even necessarily knowing whether she would be at the school until she graduated, much less where she would go once she advanced to the next level.

"And could you please stop calling me 'transfer student' or 'frilly?'" Nodoka said. "My name is Haramura Nodoka."

"Well then, Nodoka… let's be friends!" Shizuno said, pleased.

Nodoka believed that Shizuno seemed as though she was the kind to make friends quickly, as well as the kind who would enjoy lighthearted jabs at her friends- Nodoka would have to get used to that. But while she wondered how long she would spend in Achiga, she was glad to find those who would easily welcome her.

"Yes, let's, Shizuno," Nodoka said, pleased.

* * *

After school that day, Shizuno started racing ahead on the path leading out of the school, while Ako tried to keep up and Nodoka trailed behind.

"Do you exercise a lot, Shizuno?" Nodoka said, as she struggled to keep up with her.

"I do, but it's more like you don't seem to, at all," Shizuno said. "So what _are_ you good at, Nodoka?"

"If I had to say," Nodoka said, "I've been interested in tanks for a long time. I can't quite actually do it, but I think I know a lot for someone my age"

Shizuno and Ako's eyes widened at what they had just heard.

"Awesome!" Shizuno said. "I know just the place for you!"

Shizuno and Ako led Nodoka to a building that should have been familiar, but did not seem to be from where Nodoka stood. Only when Nodoka saw a sign nearby did she recognize it for what it was.

"This is the elementary school," Nodoka said, "although I don't think I've ever approached it from this side before."

"This part of the building is mainly for club activities," Shizuno said.

Shizuno opened the front door and Ako and Nodoka walked inside, hesitating as she wondered if she was trespassing. Shizuno proceeded to a door marked "Junior Tankery Club", and Ako, knowing that it was the final destination, quickly followed her there.

"Well, we're here!" Shizuno said.

Nodoka looked over the classroom and saw some children, younger than she and her new friends were, doing many tank-related activities. One young girl was reading a beginner's book about maps, which had a compass on it. Two young children were playing with small tanks, about a few centimeters long.

"Boom!" one of them said.

"Oh no, you got my flag tank!" another said, feigning dismay and simply happy to play along. They had taken turns being the winner and the loser, but no one was keeping score.

A tall young woman with red hair, dressed in business casual clothing, was looking over the students.

"Ah, Shizu! Ako!" she said. "It looks like you've brought a newcomer this time."

Nodoka noticed that Harue's eyes were pointed downward, and recoiled in embarrassment.

"My name is Akado Harue," Harue said. "I'm the organizer for this tank club for children.

"Haramura Nodoka," Nodokoa said. "I'm a sixth grader."

Nodoka took a look around. Some of the younger children were reading books about tankery

"You've come at a good time, Nodoka," Harue said. "We're looking for a fourth member for our tank- namely, a commander. Several of the younger members aren't yet ready to get into a tank, but for them, this is a club in which they can gather with others who share their interest, cultivating it and getting ready for when they can do it for real. But it would help those who are ready to do it if we had another person, so we could fully man a tank."

Nodoka paused, incredulous at the idea of her actually getting to crew a tank.

"Who else is there in my age group, besides Shizuno and Ako?" Nodoka said.

"You've got two out of three so far," Harue said. "Shizuno's good at loading, Ako is good at gunning, and our aspiring driver should be on the way…"

Almost on cue, a girl with long brown hair who wore a short dark skirt, and a T-shirt with a red Chinese dragon on it, opened the door.

"Matsumi Kuro, reporting in!" Kuro said with a salute. "I'm also a sixth-year at Achiga Girls Elementary School, in a different class from Shizuno-chan and Ako-chan."

"My name is Haramura Nodoka," Nodoka said. "It's a pleasure to meet you." The two girls exchanged bows.

"It's really great that you're coming, Nodoka-chan," Kuro said. "Akado-san might have told you this before, but we've been looking for a fourth person so we can test-drive the tank we have; I'd hoped my friend and classmate would come, but she isn't interested."

Nodoka could barely contain her excitement.

"It seems I came to the right place," Nodoka said. "I'd very much like to see this tank that we have."

* * *

Harue, Shizuno, Ako and Kuro showed Nodoka to a storage shed near the school, while having Nozomi, Ako's older sister, watch the younger girls in the class.

Nodoka approached the tank, a Sherman Firefly, and looked upon it in awe. This was the first time she had seen an actual tank.

"I can hardly believe we're doing this at such a young age," Nodoka said.

"The four of you are already in your last year of elementary school," Harue said. "In the year after next, you'll be going to middle school, which means going out to sea and living apart from your parents, and which also means you might be able to get started in tankery. You're not quite little girls anymore."

"Ah, yes," Kuro said. "My older sister, who's two years older than I am, is already out at middle school."

Harue climbed into the tank and motioned for the girls to follow her, each taking their respective positions, and they spent the afternoon practicing inside the tank.

For Nodoka, this was the experience she had been waiting for since she had first read a book about tankery as a young girl. Her father had complained about her wasting time fantasizing about it, but she believed that this would show him that her time was not spent in vain, and she could actually do it. If what Harue said was true, she had only a year or two left before she could actually compete in tankery, and she hoped her new friends would accompany her into it.

"Something caught your eye, Nodoka?" Harue said, as Nodoka, in the middle of directing her crew, glanced out the window at a nearby hill.

"It's that hill over there," Nodoka said. "It seems like a good place for someone to snipe us from below."

"If, that is, there was another tank out there looking for us," Ako said. "But that's also a relatively exposed spot, so our attacker would be vulnerable as well."

As the sun started going down below the hill, Nodoka realized that it was time for her to go home.

She realized that this was merely practice, but also concluded that there was a long way for her to go before she could truly crew a tank. She could hardly wait until the day when she could crew one in an actual match, together with her friends.

* * *

"I'm home," Nodoka said, as she walked into her apartment and closed the door behind her.

"You're late, Nodoka," Nodoka's father, Haramura Kei, a man with gray hair who, apart from taking off his blazer, was still wearing the same suit he wore to work, said. Nodoka was a bit surprised to see that her father was already home, since he often worked well into the evening.

"I'm sorry, Father, tankery club activities ran a bit late," Nodoka said.

"Is that so?" Nodoka's mother, Haramura Reiko, a woman with graying pink hair and a blue business suit, said. "I can't say I approve, but I'll let it go, for now."

Nodoka's father nodded in agreement. Nodoka's expression turned disappointment- did they really think tankery was that frivolous an activity, now that Nodoka was actually getting ready to do it?

"Just remember, Nodoka," Kei H. said, "For almost everything in life, especially in childhood, there comes a time where you need to be prepared to let it go."

Nodoka said nothing in response. Perhaps she would move on to middle school at the end of the year. Perhaps she might even leave Shizuno, Ako and Kuro behind. Perhaps tankery would eventually become a mere hobby, and something she reminisced about, the same way her first grade teacher did. But on this day, she had enjoyed herself with her friends and the tankery club- she hoped to do so again the next day, and for as long as she could.

* * *

_Present day, Saunders_

"Nodoka helped complete our club and give us the full crew of a tank," Shizuno said. "And even though she was new in town, and didn't stay for very long, while she was with us, she seemed to be at home."

"What were the kind of things you did on a daily basis?" Arata said. "I can't imagine that there was anyone else around for you to play against."

"There wasn't," Kuro said. "But we didn't really think about doing tankery competitively that much back then."

"Harue set up obstacle courses, some targets, and let us drive it around, while supervising us," Ako said.

"Sounds _exciting_," Kay said, briefly slipping into English. "There's not as much of a story behind my getting into tankery as with you girls; when I was young, I saw a tankery match on TV once, and I thought 'wouldn't that be really cool to be in one of those things, riding around and shooting at your opponents?' It took until I got here to have a chance to actually do tankery, and I wished I'd had one earlier. But at the same time, if you were trained from a young age for the purpose of becoming a tanker for the purpose of winning all your matches when you got older, it would seem as though it would kill your interest in tankery, kind of like…"

"The commander from Black Forest?" Yuu said, recalling that Kay had mentioned her before.

"Maho?" Kay said. "Yes, that's who I was thinking of. She doesn't seem like a bad person, but our reasons for doing tankery are too far apart- I do it for fun, she does it for her family. We get along, but I doubt we could ever really be friends."

"_Of course, I am curious about Maho's sister,"_ Kay thought. _"Especially where she ended up after last year."_

"But still, that doesn't sound like you were doing much," Arata said. "Pretty much anyone on the team, even those who aren't regulars who would play for us in tournaments, gets to do that on a daily basis."

"But it was something important for kids like us, Arata-chan," Kuro said. She understood how Arata had felt about Harue's decision to teach the club, but believed that Arata did not quite understand the importance of the club for children, in spite of Arata's change of heart. "What some would consider to be mere practice was, for us, a taste of things to come."

"I suppose you're right, Kuro," Arata said, unwilling to argue further, and acknowledging that perhaps she did not understand how Kuro and the others felt back then. "Maybe it's just that I'm judging all this as petty and insignificant by comparison to what I thought Haru-chan _could_ have been doing…"

* * *

_Present day, Oarai_

"So why was Akado-san at Achiga, teaching kids in a tankery club?" Saki said.

"She was a promising tanker, who once, ten years ago, led Saunders to the semi-finals of the tournament, in the team's first year," Nodoka said. "But she was defeated, apparently by Black Forest at the start of its decade-long winning streak."

"_I'll have to ask Akiyama-san if she knows more about this,"_ Miho thought. Miho was well-versed in tankery knowledge, but not entirely familiar with some of the more obscure details of tankery tournaments, and did not have an encyclopedic knowledge of tournament results like Yukari did.

"Was that hard on her?" Miho said.

"It _definitely_ was," Nodoka said emphatically. "According to Ako's older sister, she was unable to even get into a tank for some time after that. Ako's sister recommended running the club as 'rehabilitation,' in a sense."

The girls paused, grappling with Nodoka's metaphor and trying to figure out what she meant.

"Rehabilitate…" Miho said. "Do you mean like how when someone's injured, they do small exercises to regain their physical ability, like moving their leg so they can eventually regain the ability to walk, or run?"

"That's correct," Nodoka said. "The goal was that Akado-san would eventually overcome the trauma, and be able to do tankery again."

"You said all this as though it was a gradual process, but one with an end," Miho said. "For example, I can't imagine that a runner would be content with doing leg exercises or walking with a cane."

Nodoka nodded.

"That's a good point, Miho-senpai," Nodoka said. "Akado-san wanted to do tankery again, but didn't think herself ready."

"So, would that mean that when Akado-san left, someone else would take it over?" Saki said. "Or did it dissolve entirely once Akado-san left?"

"The latter is correct, Saki-san; it all came to an end eventually," Nodoka said. "I think I knew from the beginning that it wouldn't last, but I had so much fun I forgot about it."

* * *

_Four years ago, shortly before Nodoka's graduation from middle school._

One day, in the tankery club, Nodoka, while heading to the club room, saw Harue talking with a young woman with twintails. Nodoka assumed, based on the woman's appearance, that she was a high school student, but found it impolite to eavesdrop on her conversation, and went inside.

Nodoka found Shizuno, Ako and Kuro sitting together at a table, looking at a map and writing up a battle plan in pencil.

"Hello, everyone," Nodoka said.

"Glad to see you made it, Nodoka-chan," Kuro said.

"Out of curiosity, did you notice the girl outside?" Nodoka said.

"That's Mizuhara Hayari, a scout for a professional corporate team in Fukuoka," Shizuno said. "And she's probably closer to my mom's age than mine."

"Really?" Nodoka said. "She looks like a high school student."

"She's about my sister and Harue's age, making her in her early to mid-twenties," Ako said. "But you're right, she doesn't look her age."

Nodoka and the others knew that this was an opportunity for Harue- not only was it a spot some professionals wanted dearly, but it also was her chance to re-enter tankery. But it was also what they had feared for a long time, an elephant in the room that everyone noticed but no one cared to openly discuss- Harue was leaving them behind.

* * *

A few days later, Harue stood before the soon to be disbanded tankery club. Soon after she had spoken with Hayari, she had called the club together to officially announce that she would be leaving.

"Everyone," Harue A. said, "I recently got an recruitment offer from a professional tankery team in Fukuoka. I thought over it a great deal, and I decided to accept."

Harue paused, letting her statement sink in. Some outside of Nodoka's group of friends were surprised, but all of them ultimately accepted it.

"It was not an easy decision," Harue said, "especially when accepting would mean leaving you all behind. But some of you will be moving onward soon, and upward, while the rest will eventually follow. Moving onward is a part of life, and I hope all of you retain the will to progress onward and persevere, come what may."

Harue paused, and realized that she was now coming to the reason why she had started the tankery club. To some, this would seem to be nothing more than a transition phase, but Harue realized that her work had significant effects for those she had taught.

"I also would like to thank all of you," Harue said. "In the past, I had been weighed down by my failure, unable to move forward. But just as I hoped to inspire you to become interested in tankery, you rekindled my interest as well; the students teaching the teacher a lesson, so to speak. That's why I'm confident you will be able to proceed onward even after I am gone, and not make such a mistake."

"It's been very enjoyable, watching over you, teaching you, and getting you interested in tankery," Harue said. "In so doing, you reminded me of the fun times I once had, and that I could make a difference for others. Thank you so much!"

With tears in her eyes, Harue bowed in gratitude to her soon to be former students.

When all was said and done, the occasion was a bittersweet one. Harue was leaving them behind, but also moving onward, as well as upward, toward the next stage of her career and life.

Unfortunately, the four older members of the tankery club would soon find themselves parting in much the same way.

* * *

Some time passed, and the girls' thoughts turned to middle school. As with all other young girls their age, middle school was a large adjustment in many ways, not the least of which involved living on ships, rather than commuting from home to school. The middle school ships were somewhat more supervised than the high school ones, having dormitories near the schools for their students, and having more conveniently located facilities for services such as dining, shopping and laundry. But they were ultimately designed to foster a sense of independence among the students, so that they would be prepared for high school and whatever came next.

Kuro walked home from school in a pensive mood. That morning, she had received a letter from her middle school of choice, the one her sister was attending, and, as she had found out that day at school, one of her friends had also gotten into. Unfortunately, Ako and Shizuno were going to different middle schools.

Kuro was thus pleased when she chanced upon Nodoka, the only one of her friends from the tankery club whose middle school plans were not yet decided.

"Good afternoon, Nodoka-chan," Kuro said. "How have you been today?"

"Not well, unfortunately, Kuro," Nodoka said, causing Kuro to notice how, for the past few days, Nodoka had been going home by herself. "My mother's getting a transfer and the entire family is moving, shortly after I graduate from here."

Kuro sighed and nodded. She had heard about Nodoka's parents' jobs resulting in their often moving, typically once every two or three years.

"So, I take it you're going to a different middle school than I am?" Kuro said, and Nodoka nodded. "You wouldn't be the only one. Shizuno-chan and Ako-chan are also going to different middle schools, from each other and from me. I got into the same one as my sister and Arata-chan, though."

"Your sister and who?" Nodoka said.

"Sagimori Arata-chan," Nodoka said. "She's a childhood friend of my sister and I, as well as my classmate. She used to be into tanks as a little girl, but for some reason, she never came to the tankery club."

Kuro had been especially pleased to hear of Shizuno and Ako recruiting Nodoka, and only now did Nodoka truly understand why. She was not only pleased to have a new friend, but one who shared her interest in tankery. And for her, the time had come from the rest of her friends with that interest.

Nodoka and Kuro eventually reached the spot at which their routes home diverged from each other, just as their paths in life had.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then, Nodoka-chan," Kuro said.

"I'll see you then as well, Kuro," Nodoka said. "After all, our time together isn't over quite yet."

* * *

_Present day, Saunders_

"And after Nodoka left Achiga for middle school, we didn't hear much from her, and ultimately lost contact with her after a while," Shizuno said, her expression turning melancholy as her story of her, Ako and Kuro's time with Nodoka ended.

"Sometimes that happens," Ako said. "I had a friend in middle school named Hatsuse- none of you met her- but we got into different high schools and don't talk as much as we used to. Kuro and I drifted apart a little in middle school, but thankfully, we're spending more time together now that we're at the same school."

"People parting from us, in one way or another, is a part of life," Kuro said. "Sometimes they come back, like several of them have at Saunders, but sometimes they never do."

"Kuro-chan…" Yuu said softly, clearly understanding the person dear to both of them that her sister was referring to in the latter category. Kuro had reunited with Shizuno and Ako, as well as their former teacher Harue, and hoped to do the same with Nodoka. But their mother, who had passed away from an illness five years before they met Nodoka, never would come back to the sisters.

"And yet, just because people are gone doesn't mean we've forgotten them, or that we haven't been impacted by them," Kuro said. "To some, we might be fighting for the sake of mere nostalgia, but to us, Nodoka was- no, _still is_- our friend, and we're going all this way to see her again."

"That's for certain," Shizuno said. "I'm certain that if our time together was as fulfilling for Nodoka as it was for us, she still remembers us. Maybe, just maybe, she's thinking of us at this very moment."

"Well, think of it this way," Kay said. "What were the odds of Nodoka sticking with tankery for so long, even though she was separated from you and her parents didn't like it? What were the odds of you all getting into the same school and same team? We should be able to rise to the challenges together. And if Nodoka's as persistent as you say, so should she."

The girls were cheered up by Kay's analysis of the situation. Their time with Nodoka, short as it may have been, had meant something to them. Perhaps the same was true for Nodoka, and she, too, hoped she could see them again.

* * *

_Present day, Oarai_

Nodoka's friends had finished telling their story. But Nodoka herself continued to tell the story to Saki, Yuuki and Miho, continuing with her time apart from her friends.

"I lost touch with Shizuno and the others over the years," Nodoka said. "And as for tankery, without anyone I knew to do it with, and with my parents disapproving, I grew somewhat apathetic toward it, and didn't do it in my first year of middle school."

"But it wasn't all bad; in middle school, I met Yuuki for the first time," Nodoka said

"Nodo-chan's breasts were so big, I couldn't avoid them!" Yuuki K. said. "I'd just transferred over there in my second year, which is when I met Nodo-chan."

* * *

_Two years ago, Konishi Middle School._

Nodoka walked to school, lost in thought. Her second year of middle school had started, and she had not become close with any of her schoolmates.

Children who went to school on school ships typically did not have to change schools with their parents, but sometimes, the parents would ask them to do so anyway, for one reason or another. Sometimes the parents wanted a school ship with a closer home port, sometimes the parents believed their children should change schools anyway. But in many cases, whatever the parents said, went; the children did not have to like the decision, but they had to go along with it.

Nodoka's parents had similar expectations of her. They believed a day would come when she would realize that this was for the best, partly out of hindsight and partly with the wisdom that comes with age. But Nodoka, did not have this perspective at this point, and could not see any reason to like what had happened.

Nodoka heard the sound of footsteps behind her, and judging from their sound and frequency, they were made by someone who was running. Nodoka quickly turned around, just in time for the person to run into her, knocking her slightly off balance, but Nodoka managed to remain standing.

As Nodoka recovered from the sudden impact to her chest, she realized, from the impact, that the runner was shorter than she was, and reflexively looked down at her. She wondered if she was seeing things when she saw a familiar-looking face, with short orange hair.

"Ako? Is that you?" Nodoka said.

"Nope," Yuuki K. said. "My name's Kataoka Yuuki- you can call me Yuuki."

"I'm Haramura Nodoka," Nodoka said. "You just happened to remind me of a friend I had from elementary school. I'd lost touch with her, so I thought maybe, just maybe, you might be her."

"That's a shame, djey," Yuuki K. said. "Sorry to get your hopes up."

"It's fine," Nodoka said. "People come and go from our lives, including our friends. I understand that, but it's been difficult for me to adjust to middle school."

"Well then, why not make new ones, Nodoka?" Yuuki K. said. "I'd be glad to be your first, djey!"

Yuuki K.'s invitation, made in the same straightforward and direct manner as Shizuno's was years ago, caught Nodoka off guard for a moment. But once she regained her composure, she realized that it was a simple decision of whether she should accept it.

"Yes, that is a good question, Yuuki," Nodoka said. "And to answer your question, I, too, would like to be friends."

* * *

Nodoka had a sense of déjà vu as Yuuki led her into the school's tankery garage, which had a few tanks from different countries around. She saw a relatively small group of about two dozen students milling about, talking about tankery. Nodoka sensed eagerness in the group, that of a group of people who had discovered something new and enjoyable, and that while they were not veterans, they would likely be a good group to do tankery with.

An unsettling realization came upon Nodoka- if her time at Konishi Middle School's tankery club began much the same way her time at Achiga's did, it would likely end the same way. How soon would she be separated from this group, whether by graduation, her mother transferring, or other circumstances? Was it worth the effort to even integrate herself into them?

"Did you find someone new, Yuuki?" Hanada Kirame, a third-year at Konishi middle school who had purple hair, said.

"I did, Hanada-senpai," Yuuki said.

"My name is Haramura Nodoka," Nodoka said. "Yuuki here mentioned that you had a tankery team."

"Wonderful guess!" Kirame said. "But it's not quite a strong team, per se."

"How so?" Nodoka said.

"We tried last year, and got defeated, so this will be my last chance," Kirame said, her face unusually cheerful. "But it's still wonderful to see people who are interested. I'll introduce you to two of my tankers."

Kirame led Nodoka and Yuuki over.

"This is Murohashi Hiroko, and this is Yumeno Maho, both of whom are first-years," Kirame said. "The rest of their crew is graduating this year, along with myself, so they'll need a new commander and loader. Maho, Hiroko, these are Haramura Nodoka and Kataoka Yuuki, second-years and new members of the club.

Nodoka saw yet another fledgling tankery club, and noticed that even the unflappable Kirame was not enthusiastic about its chances of winning.

But while she believed that in the eyes of a strong tankery school, this club looked like nothing more than a group of interested amateurs, they took tankery seriously in their own way.

Nodoka did not care about winning tournaments as much as she did being able to do tankery with her friends. As long as she could do this much, she would be happy. And she realized once again, that while her time here would be fleeting, she would enjoy it while she could.

* * *

_Present day, Oarai_

"We went to the middle school tournament that year and won the first round," Nodoka said. "But our luck didn't hold up, and we were defeated by Troika Middle School. In our second year, we reached the semi-finals, but lost to Bismarck Middle School."

Miho nodded, realizing that the Russian-themed middle school, like Pravda High School in the high school level, was a formidable opponent, as was Miho's own former middle school, Bismarck Middle School.

"And after that, we moved on to high school; namely, here," Nodoka said.

"Kataoka-san, did you really decide to come here in large part because this school has tacos?" Miho said, recalling something Saki had once told her about Yuuki.

"You got it, djey!" Yuuki K. said, not at all embarrassed at the response.

"And that's when we met you and our other teammates on the tour, Saki-san," Nodoka said.

Miho nodded, remembering the time Saki told her the story.

"And after that, you met me when Hisa-senpai introduced us," Miho said.

Saki's expression turned melancholy. As Nodoka's story concluded, Saki's mind turned to present matters, partly reminded of them by the mention of Nodoka's parents during the story, and partly as a natural flow from the past to the present.

"You've certainly gone from school to school over the years, haven't you, Nodoka-chan?" Saki said. "And now you might have to leave again, so soon? I've barely gotten used to Oarai, so I can hardly fathom having to leave it at this point."

Hisa's expression turned pensive, understanding what Saki meant. She knew that one way or another, her time at Oarai was coming to an end. She understood that, and hoped to leave without any regrets, but realized that the possibility of being suddenly forced to leave midway through high school was something else entirely.

Nodoka nodded twice in response to Saki's questions.

"The operative word is _might_, Saki-san," Nodoka said. "If I can live up to my deal with my father... and if he keeps his end of the bargain."

* * *

_The evening after the elective orientation_

In Nodoka's apartment, her elective registration form sat on her desk, with a circle in the box for tankery. While Miho was still unwilling to do tankery, and Saki had only recently decided to re-enter tankery, Nodoka had known all along what she would choose.

Unfortunately, as her cell phone rang and displayed her father's caller ID, she realized that she would inevitably have to deal with his reaction to her decision. He had never liked her participating in tankery in middle school, or her decision to come to Oarai, and had made it clear that he had hoped she would give it up by high school.

"Hello, this is Nodoka," Nodoka said as she picked up the phone.

"Nodoka, this is your father," Haramura Kei said. "Have you chosen your elective yet?"

"Yes, Father," Nodoka said. "I have chosen tankery."

"Tankery?" Nodoka's father said, incredulously. He knew of Nodoka's interest in it, but he still could hardly fathom that she persisted with it for so long or took it so seriously, as he hoped that she had given it up. "Of all the electives, and you choose an outdated art that teaches nothing useful? I had hoped you had outgrown it."

Nodoka sighed. She preferred not to talk about tankery around her parents, as they had made their distaste of it quite clear. Until now, it had been enough for them to tolerate her doing tankery, even if it was too much for her to ask them to understand or like it.

The few times she had debated with her parents about tankery, she had argued with them about how it was beneficial for girls' development- only for her mother to scold her for even trying to claim that she knew the best way to raise children- and she knew better than to even mention the idea of fun.

"When I was in elementary and middle school, it enabled me to make friends," Nodoka said. "One of those friends is accompanying me to this school, as is a newer one. I hope to make many more in the course of my participation in tankery."

"Friends?" Nodoka's father said. "They come and go in your life. I've lost touch with all my friends from university; after graduating, we went our separate ways. At any time, one of my coworkers might quit or get transferred. I am no more attached to the friends at my office than I am to the apartment where I now live. In two years, your friends will likely go on to different colleges, if they go on to college at all, and you'll be separated from them again, just like your classmates in Achiga and at your middle school. You would be better off trying to do everything in your power to get an edge on them when applying for college or jobs."

Nodoka's father's contempt was audible in his voice. Nodoka found it hard to argue with him about the importance of preparing for one's future. But was he truly certain that his way was the best or only way to make her as successful as possible? Was what he viewed as good for her what she wanted? And even if it was, was her way of going about doing things wrong?

But Nodoka believed that to her father, these all sounded like questions of an immature child. The time for talking past each other had ended, and the time to face the issue head-on had come.

"Do you really believe that the time I spent on tankery was wasted, Father?"

"Yes, I do," Kei H. said. "It would be one thing if you were anywhere near professional skill, but the clubs you were in were playing at doing tankery. After a certain point, you must decide whether one of your pursuits is a serious calling that will become your occupation in life, or nothing more than a hobby on which you can waste time."

"Then I would like to make a proposal, Father," Nodoka said. "If my school wins the tournament, please allow me to stay at Oarai. If my team and I can win against those that are at an advantage over us, it will prove that I'm not just playing around."

The line went silent for a moment. Kei H. realized that this was the first time that his daughter was not unconditionally obeying his orders. Once that faded, his first instinct was to vehemently reject that plan. Who was Nodoka, the child, to make demands of her parents? And what did she think winning at a game he despised would signify?

But once his indignation faded, he realized that Nodoka's chances of success were slim. Assuming she was not blind to her chances, she would have made the deal with the understanding that if she lost, she would do as he said. Perhaps it would be best for him to let things play out for the moment.

"Father?" Nodoka said, anxiously awaiting her father's answer.

"I'll consider it," Kei H. said. "I will talk to you later, Nodoka."

"Goodbye, Father," Nodoka said, before hanging up. She lay back on the bed, and pondered what she had just said. Just what was she thinking, promising to win the tournament with a school like this? Perhaps she should have aimed for a more realistic goal, but nothing less than the championship seemed enough to impress her father.

The next day, Nodoka, after hearing Saki talk about her desire to reconnect with her sister, became more convinced of what she wanted to do. Like her, Saki was unwilling to live with things the way they were, and was, through tankery, trying to actively change them.

Nodoka was unwilling to tell Saki that what she was doing seemed hopeless; it seemed too harsh and cruel to say that, especially when Nodoka hoped Saki would succeed. Nodoka considered reconciliation with one's family to be something that was worth striving for, and only doubted whether Saki _could_ achieve it. But Nodoka had to wonder- if Saki had even less reason to think Teru would open up to her, but persisted nevertheless, then there was no reason for Nodoka not to try when her father was giving her a chance.

* * *

_Present day, Oarai_

"So there you have it," Nodoka said. "My chances of succeeding are slim, but this is the greatest concession my father has ever made regarding doing tankery and staying in my current school."

"I see…" Miho said, her expression turning sympathetic. Her circumstances were different, but she was all too familiar with parents who were emotionally distant and opposed her decisions. To her, Nodoka seemed in some ways, more resolute than she was, in that she seemed to do tankery in spite of her father's opposition.

"Miho-senpai, I have a question, if it is not too personal," Nodoka said.

"Feel free to ask, Nodoka-san," Miho said, having some idea of what Nodoka wouldask.

"Did your family oppose your decision to leave Black Forest's tankery team and go to Oarai?" Nodoka said.

"My parents did," Miho said. "But in the end, they reluctantly accepted my decision, knowing that they couldn't change my mind."

Nodoka looked surprised.

"I'm surprised, Miho-senpai," Nodoka said. "It must have been a very brave thing to defy them in such a way."

"I think they saw it as a cowardly act," Miho said, "as my giving up when things got too difficult for me. You seem to be much more confident than I am, Nodoka-san."

"Really, Miho-senpai?" Nodoka said. "All my life, I've been doing everything my parents have told me to do. Tankery is the one exception, but now that I think about it, while my father doesn't like it, he has never actually told me to stop."

"Would you stop if he told you to do so?" Miho said.

Nodoka paused. Her father had made his disapproval of tankery clear many times over the years, but he had never issued an ultimatum to get her to stop. But what would she do if he did? Could she simply give it up?

"…no," Nodoka said.

"I thought not," Miho said. "There are some things we simply must do, no matter who opposes us. I may not be the strongest-willed or bravest person in the world, but even I have realized this."

Nodoka realized that as she was now, her offer to win the tournament in order to convince her father to let her stay was merely empty boasting. But for the first time, she was striving toward something instead of passively resigned to where life took her. Her chances of success were slim, but they were still a chance, and it was up to her and her friends to become strong enough to bring their hopes to fruition.

* * *

**Author's notes**

Thank you for the reviews.

I was initially unsure of where to put this Interlude, but I decided to include it here, for a few reasons. It seemed like a good idea to show Nodoka's backstory fairly early on, there wasn't that much happening between the practice battle and the match with Anzio (while most of the pre-BC Freedom story was setting things up), and there weren't any plot events that would lead into this one (contrast this with Miho's Interlude, which will be the next Interlude, and will happen in a few chapters).

The idea of elementary schoolers driving a tank may seem unbelievable (and to some, the entire premise of high schoolers doing tankery and the safety functions required for tankery is), but that's what happens in Little Army, where Miho and her friends did it without a teacher or other adult present, although Maho once asked whether they could do it as they were.

I took a few liberties with the characters' years in school, such as having Kuro and Arata, instead of being second-years, be in the same year as Shizuno, Ako and Nodoka, so that Kuro could be in the tankery club at the same time, and Arata _could have_ joined if she so desired. I also changed it to four years ago, to make it more easily fit with Nodoka's being transferred to a new middle school. I also think _Yumeno_ Maho might be a year below _Murohashi_ Hiroko, but I bumped Maho Y. up a year to fit with her meeting and playing with Nodoka.

On a side note, Maho Y. and Hiroko M. will have their initials after their names, while Nishizumi Maho and Funakubo Hiroko (the latter of whom will appear later) will not, because the latter two are more important to the story.

I hope Yuuki K. isn't falling by the wayside too much; I find it somewhat difficult to write her into the plot, since she's largely defined by her love of tacos, crush on Kyoutaro (who isn't in this story), and friendship with Nodoka.

The next chapter will have the battle with Anzio.


	10. Playing For Keeps

**Chapter 8:** **Playing For Keeps  
**

Oarai's school ship pulled into port for the tournament, allowing the tankery team to begin the process of unloading its tanks, as well as the rest of the preparations for the school's first match of the tournament. Luckily for Mako R., the start time was later in the morning, to accommodate Anzio taking slightly longer to pull into port and unload its tanks. It was not as much sleep as Mako R. would have liked to have gotten, but she still saw it as an improvement over the 6 a.m. start time for the practice match with BC Freedom.

But even so, Mako R. could not help but be restless as Oarai's tankers milled about before the match in Oarai's assembly area, after a last-minute strategy meeting headed by Miho and Hisa. Unlike against BC Freedom, Anzio had the seemingly advantageous starting point, and would quickly assume a defensive position. Miho thus decided to avoid falling into any traps, and find some way of luring out the enemy and taking them down before assaulting their position, or otherwise drawing out the flag tank.

Miho realized that she had done what she could to prepare her team for the match, and now, the only thing left to do was wait. Perhaps Anzio had also realized this, since most schools finished their preparations prior to the days of their matches.

Some team commanders took advantage of the time before the matches to meet their opposition in person before the official greetings were exchanged. Such meetings were encouraged, provided they remained civil- in tankery, the crews spent their time inside their tanks, precluding face-to-face interaction. Conversing with the enemy was a reminder that this was not war, and while the opposing schools were competing against each other for the championship, that goal was not just a point of contention, but one of many commonalities between them.

Of course, some took the competition more seriously than others, and forgot about what they had in common. Anchovy was one such individual, believing that bringing victory to her school came before all else, and expecting her subordinates to take the pursuit of the goal as seriously as she did. She had little patience for those among her subordinates who were not dedicated to victory. And she had even less for commanders who promoted or tolerated such attitudes among their troops, even if she believed their doing so would facilitate her winning against them.

Anchovy and Carpaccio walked over to the assembled Oarai forces, and looked them over, trying to see if the commander was there.

"I am Carpaccio, vice captain of Anzio High School," Carpaccio said, glancing at Miho. "Are you Nishizumi Miho?"

"I am," Miho said, slightly nervous about where the conversation was going.

"My commander, Duce Anchovy, would like to speak with you," Carpaccio said, before turning from Miho to Anchovy. "Duce, Nishizumi Miho is here."

Anchovy walked over to Miho.

"Nishizumi Miho," Anchovy said. "It's a surprise to see that someone like you is commanding a school like this, but ultimately, it makes no difference. Your way of tankery is far too weak. I don't know why your subordinates would rally around you- maybe there's no one better to lead them- but I'm certain you won't be leading them to victory against us."

Anchovy was glancing off to Miho's side and behind her while talking dismissively about those under Miho's command. As she was doing so, Anchovy then noticed Yukari, immediately recognizing her as the person who had infiltrated Anzio.

"You there," Anchovy said, pointing at Yukari. "Lieutenant Oddball, was it?

"_Sergeant Third Class_ Oddball," Yukari said.

"Tell us honestly, _Sergeant_ Oddball," Anchovy said, slightly irritated at Yukari correcting her on a detail that she found irrelevant. "Who gave you the order to sneak into our school?"

"No one did," Yukari said without hesitation, both because it was true and in order to avoid incriminating Miho. "It was a plan I came up with on my own to gather intel for the match. Think what you will of me, do what you will to me, but please leave Nishizumi-dono and the others out of it."

"Is that so?" Anchovy said, and Miho nodded. "How disappointing, Nishizumi Miho," Anchovy said as she turned back to Miho. "I had thought that after running away, you had strengthened your way of tankery, or thought of some clever stratagems, but it seems you're still just as weak as ever."

Miho remained silent, caught off guard by Anchovy's barbs and unsure of how she could respond.

Anchovy started to walk off, but then turned back to Miho.

"But we have bigger fish to fry, so we can't lose here, now, to someone like you," Anchovy said. "You had best prepare yourself for your defeat."

Yukari sighed. She had expected that some would look on them with contempt as a newcomer, but this seemed to be an entirely different level altogether. Yukari had her theories as to why Anchovy seemed unusually preoccupied with and dismissive of Miho, but while she was all but certain of the cause, she had difficulty understanding why Anchovy would hate Miho because of that.

"Are you alright, Nishizumi-dono?" Yukari said.

"I am, Yukari-san," Miho said. "I suppose Anchovy-san's low opinion of us is to be expected, given that most people don't think much of our team or our chances of winning."

Yukari's expression turned skeptical, and she glanced at Hisa, who shrugged. They had gone as far as they felt they could on this subject go without unduly prying.

"Well, that's true," Hisa said. "And it might work to our advantage this time. If the enemy underestimates us, their doing so could give us an opportunity to win. If we make it farther, some of our opponents will not necessarily be fooled, but the advantage we gain by not being taken seriously might be what we need to win at this point."

* * *

In the stands, Yukari's parents sat, watching the games. For all Yukari loved tankery, her parents only had a general idea of the basic rules behind it, such as how the object was to defeat the flag tank, and the kind of tanks that were allowed in the competition.

They couldn't claim to truly understand when Yukari kept talking about various tank models and how they would fare in various conditions or against each other. They could only smile, nod, and say "That's nice, Yukari," when Yukari talked about her team's fighting against the remaining BC Freedom forces; while they had seen all of the match, including the finale, they couldn't identify the models of the tanks until Yukari pointed out what each one did in the battle, and gave a basic description using terms they could understand. But more than anything, they didn't try to judge Yukari's interest, as strange as it often seemed to them.

* * *

Elsewhere, in the stands, Kai watched as his daughter's school went up against Anzio. He momentarily was surprised that he was at a tankery game, even though the only reason he had for despising tankery that he remembered was his belief that it had torn his family apart.

He realized that Saki, who had seemingly given up tankery forever, was now getting in it again, in the hopes of reuniting her family through it, even though none of them agreed about it. And he, the person least likely to approve, was the first person she had told about it.

What did this say about her? Was she blind to the odds? Did she seriously think she could succeed? Or was the potential of achieving her goal through it reason enough to try?

No answers were obvious to Kai at the moment, so he decided to sit and observe his daughter for now. Would she lose hope in her goal, or would it be vindicated? And whose mind would ultimately be changed through her efforts?

* * *

Haramura Kei sat at home, reviewing some records for his latest case. He had considered turning on the television and half-watching the match while doing his work, as he did occasionally when he put in long hours, but he had no interest in tankery, and little expectation that his daughter Nodoka would even clear the first round of the tournament. She had made it to the quarter-finals in middle school, but here, the competition was that much intense, and to him, she was foolish to even propose winning the nationals.

He knew that he, as a parent, was never obligated to give Nodoka this chance- Reiko had been surprised when he had told her about it, but had let the conversation drop when he said she could not succeed. Nodoka had been expected to move with the family in the past, and go to the schools he and her mother expected her to go to. But no matter how many times she had been uprooted from one school to another, her love of tankery remained the only constant, even after Kei H. had made it clear that he disapproved of it and expected her to give it up. It was a mere game, not unlike other sports, and while many competed in it, few could expect to do it for a living. To him, Nodoka was better off finding out where her talents lay, and what career she could make out of them.

And yet, perhaps Nodoka, by making an audacious promise and failing to live up to it, would realize the limits of her ability. In losing to those who were the best in tankery, she would clearly see that she was nothing more than mediocre by comparison. If Nodoka was the one who made the terms of the agreement with him, surely she would not complain about moving once she failed to fulfill her end of the bargain.

At the moment, Nodoka seemed to be nothing more than a dreamer making empty promises. And until he had reason to believe otherwise, Kei H. was content in waiting until the next day for news about the match's outcome.

* * *

Kei H. was not the only one who thought watching the match was a waste of time. Erika looked on Oarai with disdain as she sat in the stands with Teru and Maho.

"Why are we here?" Erika said, having come to watch in person only because Maho, her direct superior, had asked her and Teru to do so.

"To take a look at our competition, and see what they're capable of," Maho said.

Erika softly scoffed, wondering why Maho would choose Oarai of all possible schools to watch.

"If you could call them that," Erika said. "One's a school with a second-rate tankery team, and the other's a complete newcomer. Both are in the opposite side of the bracket. Neither are likely to reach the finals to face us."

"It's true that the odds are long," Maho said. "But no one expects anything of Oarai because no one knows much about Oarai. If it turns out that their rivals in this half underestimated Oarai, then by watching how they fight, we will avoid making that mistake."

Teru had to concede Maho's points, but suspected that the reasons she gave were not the only ones that she had for coming to the match, especially since she had no plans to watch any of the other first round matches in Oarai's half of the bracket.

_"Would you be coming here if your sister was not leading Oarai's team, Commander?" _Teru thought. _"Or might it be because Saki's on the team?"_

But Teru knew that with Maho always mindful of how her actions came across to those under her command and the public, if she asked the question now, she would likely only get the answer Maho wanted her to hear.

* * *

As the match started, Oarai proceeded forward cautiously over the barren and hilly battlefield, keeping an eye out for Anzio's tanks. Unlike their previous battle with BC Freedom, the enemy did not appear to be going on the offensive, which left the first move to them. If Oarai's tanks made a mistake, they stood at risk of falling into Anzio's trap. But if they did well, they could decide how to engage Anzio.

Miho decided that protecting the flag tank, which was Rabbit Team this time, took priority above all else, and kept her forces as a single unit. After advancing some distance, Miho spotted two Carro Veloce L3/35 tankettes ahead.

"Enemies ahead!" Momo K. said over the radio, as the tankettes opened fire on the Oarai forces with their machine guns.

"Calm down," Miho said. "Most of our tanks, inferior as they may be, have armor thick enough to resist the machine guns. And they're attacking with their machine guns because they don't have main cannons."

"Did you hear that, everyone?" Azusa said to the rest of Rabbit Team. "We're safe as long as we stay in the tank. But we're not in the tank solely for our own protection; rather, we have to protect this tank. If we're taken out, _all of us_ _lose._"

The rest of Rabbit team nodded. None of them were quite sure how the flag tank had been selected, but found it somewhat fitting. This would be their chance to prove that they could perform at the level necessary to win in the tournament. If they could not, they would not get another chance, and neither would their school.

"Everyone," Miho said, "Hold position and open fire on them, but don't follow them; they seem to be trying to lure us somewhere."

Following Miho's commands, the rest of the team held back, not wanting to get lured into a trap. Duck Team fired, and took out one of them, while Anglerfish Team fired and took out the second.

"It's possible they're advancing on us from behind," Miho said as she noticed that there were no more enemies coming from the front. "Sparrow Team, Turtle Team and Anglerfish Team will circle around and keep a look out for enemies. The rest of you, slowly advance while remaining wary for ambushes."

* * *

As five tanks from Anzio's team- two P26/40s, one of which was the commander's, two M13/40s, and the flag tank, a Carro Veloce CV-35, waited atop the hill where they had sat, waiting for Oarai's attack.

"They got taken out already?" Anchovy said after hearing of what had happened to two of the tankettes. "You may be the bait, but you still have a job to do!"

Kobashiri Yae, however, remained calm, confident in her superiority over the crews of the tankettes, and quite pleased with herself. She, a short girl with a curly lock in her dark hair, had, in her first year at Anzio, moved up to get not only a spot on the team, but a spot in one of their actual tanks, a P26/40, and now was in her third year.

She heard the casualty reports over the radio, and she merely smirked. There was a reason why the relative novices like those in the tankettes were not entrusted with tanks that were important to Anzio's strategy. And now she would show them why the commander trusted her to

"I bet those Oarai fools thought that they'd inflicted significant losses on us," Yae said. "We've still got more tanks than they do, and we can still crush them!"

"Orders, Duce?" Ueda Ryouko, the blonde, spiky-haired commander of a Carro Amato M13/40, said.

"That's where Carpaccio and the others come in," Anchovy said. "Once they're in position, we'll have the upper hand and pay back each of our casualties threefold."

* * *

A group consisting of the Semovente 75/18, under the command of Carpaccio, another P26/40, and a M13/40 advanced behind the hills, trying to remain inconspicuous until they were in position to strike.

Their destination was a small hill near where Oarai planned to attack the main division with the flag tank. It was a relatively inconspicuous location, but one from which they could shoot at the Oarai forces, and cut them off if they attempted to retreat.

Unfortunately, Miho had foreseen the possibility, and had sent tanks to intercept them. Anzio would have to deal with them before it could enact its plan.

Anglerfish Team fired, striking the M13/40 and disabling it.

The Pz 38 fired, missing the Semovente by several meters.

"Momo-chan, you missed," Yuzu said.

"Fuoco!" Carpaccio said, firing on the Oarai tanks below.

Duck Team quickly shifted their Type 89 into reverse, blocking the shot aimed for Rabbit Team's M3 Lee. The white flag rose on the Type 89, but they saw that Rabbit Team remained unharmed.

Around the same time, a shell from the Cromwell struck Yae's P26/40 in the side, disabling it.

"Why's the Semovente still up?" Mutsuki said as she loaded the next shell.

"Because the Student Council missed," Yumi said. "And now, one of us is done for."

The Semovente quickly turned, in response to the new threat, and fired its gun, taking out Turtle Team.

"They got us!" Anzu said.

Yumi let off a sigh of relief. She had heard that in the battle with BC Freedom, Kei A. had realized that the Pz 38 had next to no chance of hitting her, and focused on the more pressing threat of Hisa's Tas. Thankfully, the Semovente had failed to make such a realization, or even try to attack their flag tank, giving Yumi's team a window of opportunity to counterattack.

Momo T. then fired, striking the Semovente in the side and disabling it. The blast of the shell hitting its side was visible to those down below, even if the white flag was not.

"Good work, everyone," Miho said over the radio. "Now press on the attack and finish off the main force, including the flag tank."

* * *

Maho and her vice-captains watched the recent developments, seeing Anzio lose the advantage to Oarai.

Erika had never been very interested in how the match was going, but mildly hoped that Anzio would win so that it could teach Oarai a lesson, not out of any love of her Italian-themed rival. But even she had to concede that the possibility of that happening was quickly declining.

"Anzio's at it again," Erika said dismissively. "Their tanks are weaker than a lot of the big-name schools, so they use what they believe to be 'clever' strategies. But I honestly think that should have been enough to crush Oarai."

"It is possible for a weaker opponent to defeat a strong one with the proper strategy," Maho said.

"True, but I don't think Anzio will manage it how they're going about doing things," Teru said. "First, like Erika said, their tanks are so-so, even ignoring the tankettes. Second, the bait strategy seems fairly transparent; it's no wonder that Miho saw through it."

"You have a point, Teru; I wasn't talking about Anzio," Maho said. "Surprisingly, _Anzio_ is the one that has the advantage this time, at least in terms of numbers. Given the kind of person Anchovy is, I wouldn't be surprised if they had been- and still are- looking down on Oarai, resulting in them getting overconfident and careless. That's why they chose this strategy and thought that Miho would fall for it. That's why they don't have a Plan B. That's why Miho is going to win."

Erika found herself at a loss for words, desperately hoping that Oarai would make a mistake or Anzio would make a comeback that would validate her taunt at the cafe. Teru pondered what Maho had said and nodded.

"When you put it that way, Commander, it's not too surprising," Teru said. "But like many of our opponents do in the past, Anzio still has a way they can win even though they're unlikely to make a comeback."

* * *

The main Oarai attack advanced up the hill where Anzio's main forces were waiting, free of any possible interference from behind as their allies cleared out Carpaccio's division.

Anchovy, however, realized that although her plan had fallen to pieces, she still had a simple and effective route to victory- shooting the Oarai flag tank. People would say that Anzio had barely managed to win, but Anchovy did not care about how others perceived her. The methods needed to achieve victory mattered less than her ability to deliver victory, and she owed that much to her subordinates for giving their all.

"All tanks, aim for the flag tank!" Anchovy said desperately. "The rear attack is no longer able to do so!"

"Don't panic," Azusa said, as the M3 Lee escaped to behind the hill. "Just quickly get to cover!"

The Anzio tanks atop the hill fired a volley of shots, hoping to take down the M3 Lee and win the game. Unfortunately, the plan was falling apart, and their shots were as hastily aimed as Anchovy's command was hastily made. One shot struck the already disabled Type 89, two others fell to the sides, and one fell in front of the Type 89, where Rabbit Team had been moments before.

Octopus Team approached and aimed directly at Anchovy's command tank, using the window of opportunity they had while their opponent reloaded.

Anchovy glanced at her loader, who was struggling to load a shell. She refused to accept that this was happening. Her school had been defeated many times in the past, but never against a school like the one she was facing. Oarai should have been weaker than Anzio, which had defeated some schools that were stronger. And how could their commander, who seemingly saw victory as a secondary priority, defeat her and her teammates, who had always tried their hardest in order to win?

"Nishizumi Mihoooo!" Anchovy screamed as the Tas fired.

The shell struck Anchovy's command tank at close range, causing a loud blast that drowned out Anchovy's scream and forced the white flag up. The other tanks immediately began to retreat, their commander having been taken out of the game. Before they did, a parting shot from Yae's P26/40 took the StuG out of the game.

The flag tank, a Carro Veloce CV-35, sped off, while Yae's P26/40 set off in search of the flag tank. Octopus Team, however, quickly fired, sending the P26/40 screeching to a halt as dust mixed with smoke, but its white flag was visible through both clouds.

Tatsumi Yuuka, a brunette who was the flag tank's commander, pondered what had happened. Her commander had been taken out of the game, and so had her vice-captain. Anzio was leaderless, but what remained to be done was fairly simple. They only needed to keep the flag tank out of danger, while neutralizing as many enemies as they could.

* * *

The flag tank sped away from the main battle, trying to get somewhere, anywhere, that the enemy would not find them. Its crew was not terribly picky about finding a hiding spot, since they were already hard to find in the open fields.

But in their haste to escape, they blundered toward the Panzer IV, which was fresh from defeating the attack from behind. The flag tank had chosen the same route that Anchovy had expected Miho to use, and so were as vulnerable to attack as Miho's group would have been.

Yukari finished loading the shell into the tank's main gun.

"Hana-san, take out the flag tank," Miho said.

Hana took aim at the flag tank. When asked how she could aim so well, she mentioned that doing flower arrangement required a great deal of concentration; if she could make the precise motions for the flowers she was using in a given exhibition, she could make the fine motions necessary to aim the gun of a tank. While she had grown discontent with her present way of flower arranging, and saw tankery as her solution to that, she realized just how useful her flower arranging training was in this moment.

Having her target in her sights and having done her calculations for the perfect shot she needed, Hana pulled the trigger.

The shot sailed through the air and struck the flag tank in the front. Its armor was weak, but that distance, the Panzer IV's main gun would be lucky to get a hit.

And yet, that hit was what Oarai needed; a large explosion was seen as the round struck the tankette, the tankette was tipped over from the impact, and the white flag popped up out of the tank's upturned bottom.

"Oarai Academy wins the match!" the announcer said.

Watching from her disabled tank, Yae was unable to believe what she was seeing.

"Beaten by a rank amateur from a no-name school?" Yae said. "You've got to be kidding me!"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Thank you for the reviews. I'd also like to thank Stalker117 for beta reading this.

EXpertUS: Nodoka's father has last been seen very early on, in a flashback before Nodoka went to the training camp, although the fact that Nodoka needs to win to stay in Kiyosumi is occasionally mentioned, like at the start of Nodoka's quarterfinals match.

Part of the reason I put Anchovy first is that it makes more sense for them to have no respect for Oarai if they're their first rival. Granted, Erika and Katyusha think little of Miho at first, but it would seem to be better founded for Anchovy to do so if Oarai hadn't defeated Saunders first. Another reason is because Anzio nicely contrasts with Saunders. Kay enjoys having fun with tankery matches, while Anchovy believes winning is a commander's responsibility to her subordinates. Yet another part is because Anzio is Oarai's easiest opponent.

It's interesting how strength is relative; Anzio's a joke compared to Black Forest (in the manga, once Miho's group gets into position, Anzio's offensive falls apart quickly, and they're able to take out the flag tank), but strong compared to Oarai, which is one reason why they look down on Oarai.

The named Anzio characters besides Anchovy and Carpaccio are students at Bansei in Saki Achiga-hen, as well as members of their mahjong team, which has only lost the prefecturals twice in four decades. Yae's probably one of the more obnoxious rivals even though, from what we've seen, Bansei stands no chance not just against Achiga or Kiyosumi, but probably also Ryuumonbuchi, Kazekoshi or Tsuruga, although she does warm up slightly to Achiga in one of Arata's flashbacks.

I changed it slightly so that the tankery matches are televised in this fic, much like the mahjong matches in Saki are. This will become a slight plot point later on.

Incidentally, how does Nodoka's father come off to you? I tried to write him in character, but it's relatively difficult to do so when most of his screentime (two scenes, and I think four lines of dialogue between them) depicts him as emotionally distant from Nodoka and expressing disdain for mahjong, her friendships and her school. And yet, as with Shiho, I believe he has his reasons for what he does.


	11. Introductions!

**Introductions!**

Miho sat in a small recording booth, still trying to come to grips with what was happening. The task she had been presented with- reading off the script she had been given- was simple enough, but she could hardly believe the words that were on the script.

"Hello, everyone," Miho began, and white text indicating Miho's name, favorite flower and favorite tank appeared near her. "My name is Nishizumi Miho, and I am sorry to report that, due to unforeseen events, the author is unable to keep to his schedule, and this is being submitted in place of the next chapter."

"_On second thought…"_ Miho thought, _"Did the author even say whether he was doing any of this on a fixed schedule? He could end up disappearing for months or years without an update… if he resumes the story at all, and no one would know for certain that this was not planned."_

These thoughts, strange, disturbing, and completely and utterly breaking the fourth wall, overwhelmed Miho for a moment. After regaining her composure, she put them out of her mind and resumed speaking.

"Anyway, I would like to talk to you a little about myself and the people I met after coming to this school," Miho said, continuing to read off the script. "The reason I came to Oarai academy was to get away from Tanke-"

"Hold it," Hisa said, walking into Miho's recording booth. "Word has it that you'll be the next person to get an Interlude, Miho, so you should save the backstory for then."

White text appeared near Hisa, saying "Takei Hisa: Third Year, Student Council Treasurer," and listed her favorite tank as the P 44M Tas.

"I wasn't planning on going into all that, Hisa-senpai," Miho said. "I was just going to say that I went to Oarai to get away from tankery, met and befriended Saori-san and Hana-san, and, because they were my friends, decided to do tankery again with them."

"Everyone who read the first chapter knows that, Miho," Hisa said.

"That's right," Anzu said, walking onto the scene along with Yuzu and Momo K. as the white text displaying Anzu's information appeared, "but it can't be helped, Takei. This is what's called a 'recap episode,' and a 'filler episode,' so we have to put something in here."

"That makes sense," Hisa said. "Making an entire episode out of recycled material and new voiceovers sounds like it's right up your alley, President."

"That's right," Yuzu said, "and unfortunately, Nishizumi-san's self-introduction was a little too succinct. She could have used some recycled footage."

"But this fic skipped over that part," Miho said, deciding to completely forgo trying to avoid breaking the fourth wall in a section that professed to be for the benefit of viewers.

"Oh, right," Anzu said.

"So what do we have left on the script?" Momo K. said.

Miho took a look over the script, which had the descriptions of the rest of her friends, as well as the relative acquaintances who were her other teammates. The sheet listed their basic personalities.

"It looks like giving basic information on all the students in our tankery team, as well as on the tanks we and our opponents use, and showing some of our past battles," Miho said.

But Miho soon noticed something was missing.

"Something's odd…" Miho said, passing the sheet to Hisa and showing her the part that had caught her attention. "The rest of Octopus Team, as well as Sparrow Team, haven't chosen their favorite tanks."

"Will that be a problem?" Hisa said.

"It might be," Miho said. "A lot of viewers are really interested in tanks- even name-dropping their favorites would make them happy."

"Ok, Miho," Hisa said. "Could you please continue reading the script while I track down the rest of my team and the mahjong club?

"I will," Miho said, and the Student Council left to find everyone else.

Miho then continued reading.

_"Clever, Hisa-senpai,"_ Miho thought as the scene transition began. _"Now the viewers don't have to listen to my reciting all this information they already know."_

* * *

Hisa quickly found the rest of Octopus Team sitting in a waiting room.

"Everyone," Hisa said, "We're doing a recap, and we need you to tell us what your favorite tanks are."

"It's hard to say," Saki said, as white text appeared near her. "I like the Char B1 Bis, but I also like the tank we have. If I had to choose, though- I'll take the former."

Saki's white text added the detail that the Char B1 Bis was her favorite tank.

"For me, my favorite would be a Sherman Firefly," Nodoka said, with white text appearing near her. "I'm not going to go into too much detail that's already been used before, but I used it in the past."

"My favorite is the Panzer VIII Maus," Mako S. said. "I remember reading about it in a book, and seeing the incredible statistics on that thing. I don't think we'll ever get to see, much less use one, but it looks quite impressive."

"I like the Semovente 75/18, djey!" Yuuki K. said. "My old school had one, but I never got to crew it."

"You do know that you don't have to choose a tank that qualifies for the tournament, right?" Hisa said.

"Well, for Yuuki and I, it's not all that different in principle," Mako S. said. "We're choosing tanks that we can't necessarily use, but we like for our own reasons."

Hisa nodded in understanding.

"In any case, we've got our favorite tanks selected, so let's see how Yumi and the others are doing," Hisa said. "It can't be that hard to pick out a tank; just choose randomly and perhaps the fans of that tank will be happy to have their favorite tank name-dropped."

* * *

Elsewhere, in another waiting room, Sparrow Team looked over the forms they had filled out, all of which had one thing in common.

"This is no good…" Yumi said. "All five of us have picked the Cromwell as our favorite tank."

"Wa-ha-ha!" Satomi said. "Strange minds think alike, don't they?"

"Do you really think this is a surprise, Kajiki-senpai?" Mutsuki said. "Few of us have any real experience with tankery, so asking us to make a decision as to which tanks are our favorite is like asking perhaps the rest of the school to describe their favorite hands in mahjong."

"Unless I'm mistaken, not many other people do," Kaori said. "Nishizumi-san, Akiyama-san, the entirety of Octopus Team, and possibly Matsumoto-san."

"That's right, Kaori-senpai, and they chose their tanks on their own~su," Momo T. said. "So there's no reason we can't do the same."

"I-I see..." Kaori said. "What was the name of that tank the Instructor came in with? It seemed quite strong and high-tech, much better than any of ours."

"That's a Type 10 MBT, Senoo," Yumi said. "And the reason that it's that way is because it's far more advanced than the World War II-era tanks we're using. The difference between that tank and the ones we use is a bit like comparing a musket with an assault rifle. And keep in mind that you not only don't have to put any great amount of thought into the choice, but you can choose practically any tank, not just those allowed in the competition."

"Sounds good," Satomi said, knowing that she could go with the first one off the top of her head. "Then I'm going with an M1 Abrams."

"The Tas defeated us, and the Panzer IV defeated the Tas," Mutsuki said, "so I'm going with the Panzer IV."

"I liked the SOMUA S35~su," Momo T. said, "particularly the way it looks in the sights of the main gun."

"If it's OK with everyone else, I'll stick with the Cromwell," Yumi said. "It's not terribly original, but I like how the tank has performed for us so far. I also suspect that someone has, like Senoo, chosen the Type 10, or, like Momo, has chosen one of BC Freedom's tanks, but it'll be better than having five people selecting the same tank."

The other four members nodded in agreement. Yumi picked up the forms and walked over to Hisa.

* * *

Hisa, after collecting Yumi's forms, finally caught up with Miho. Miho was finishing talking about Rabbit Team, despite the fact that the number of times she had spoken with them, both as a team and individually, could be counted on one hand.

Hisa then knocked on the door, and handed Miho the completed forms. With a nod and a "Thank you," Miho resumed her reading.

"Lastly, we have Sparrow team," Miho said, as "There's the leader of the team and club president, Kajiki Yumi-san…"

"I'm actually not the president, Kanbara is," Yumi said, using her index finger to cross off the "President" part that appeared on the white subtitle for her. "It's a bit like how Erwin is leader of Hippo Team while Caesar is their club president."

"I'm sorry," Miho said. "The leader of the team is Kajiki Yumi-san, but the president is Kanbara Satomi-san. There's also Senoo Kaori-san, a neophyte at both tankery and mahjong, Touyoko Momoko-san, who lacks presence and whom Kajiki-senpai recruited herself, and lastly, Tsuyama Mutsuki-san."

"And lastly, we have Octopus Team," Miho said. "First, there's Takei Hisa-san, treasurer for the Student Council and commander of the team."

"We already introduced me, Miho," Hisa said.

"Ok," Miho said. "Next is Miyanaga Saki-san, a first-year who, like me, came to hate tankery, although the cause is unknown. She seeks to reconcile with her older sister, Miyanaga Teru-san, through tankery. Even though Teru-san has claimed that Saki-san is not her sister, Saki-san still hopes to reach out to and reconcile with her."

Miho was about to resume speaking, but was preempted by Nodoka.

"Please wait, Miho-senpai," Nodoka said. "I'm next, aren't I?" The white text displaying Nodoka's information appeared as she spoke. "My Interlude, describing how I made friends through tankery in the past, and wish to win the tournament so I can stay with you, Saki-san and the others in the present, was not long ago."

"That… was about it, Nodoka-san," Miho said, surprised at how Nodoka's description of herself was not only concise, but matched the script. "There's Kataoka Yuuki-san, an energetic girl who likes tacos and has long been friends with Nodoka-san. And there's _Someya_ Mako-san, who wears glasses and has a photographic memory."

Miho turned the page and moved on to the next section.

"We had a practice battle that pitted all the Oarai teams against each other," Miho said. A screen showed each of the seven tanks, with information on each. It then showed all the teams being defeated in turn- Sparrow Team defeating Turtle Team, Octopus Team defeating Rabbit Team, Anglerfish Team defeating Hippo Team and Duck Team, Octopus Team defeating Sparrow Team, and Anglerfish Team defeating Octopus Team.

"Not long after that, we were faced with BC Freedom in a practice battle," Miho said.

Miho then played a recording of her school's battle with BC Freedom in fast-forward, watching as both sides whittled each other down, with white text showing for each of BC Freedom's tanks.

_"I know the instructions said to drag this out, but I don't think the viewers will mind if we cut to the chase here, since they've seen it already," _Miho thought.

"Despite our best efforts, we were narrowly defeated," Miho said, "and realized how far we had to go before we could do well in the tournament."

Miho then reached her concluding remarks.

"Now we are in the Nationals," Miho said. "Our first opponent is Anzio High School. They use the Caro Veloce L3/35 tankette, the P26/40 medium tank, the Fiat M13/40, and a Semovente 75/18 self-propelled gun."

Footage from the match was shown, typically of each of the types of tanks being defeated. It then showed the flag tank being disabled by Hana's shot.

"For crying out loud…" Anchovy said, as she approached Miho, "couldn't they have at least split up the battle and shown the Introductions while there was still a chance for us to win this? I'd even settle for a cliffhanger."

"I'd say you're somewhat lucky compared to most of us, Anchovy," the red-headed girl Miho recognized from the tournament drawings said, while accompanied by the others who were present there. "It's going to be a little while before I get officially named, much less play a role."

"Please don't take it personally, (BLEEP)-san," Miho said, pausing in surprise as a bleep obscured the name of the girl she was addressing, even though she knew the girl. "There were too many characters to introduce in this video; perhaps by the time the next one rolls around, you'll be named."

"I'd actually rather not have a second one of these," the redhead said. "In fact, this is already boring me."

"Then you might be in luck," Miho said, looking to the end of her script. "The script says that this has gone long enough, and... what's this? April Fools?"

* * *

**Author's notes**

April Fool's!

This was something of a parody of the "Introductions" episodes, including their status as a filler for the delayed episodes.

In Saki, Yasuko tends to mistake Yumi for the mahjong club president at Tsuruga, when, in fact, it's Satomi. Her mistake is understandable, though, since Yumi is canonically, like she is here, the de facto leader of the mahjong club, even if she's not the club president.

While most of the fic is not written with the assumption that you haven't necessarily seen Girls und Panzer, I decided not to repeat most of the Introductions. The Sparrow and Octopus team segments should give you some idea of what they would have been like- in other words, you're not missing much.

I also found the idea of everyone picking a favorite tank strange, even though most of Oarai has no familiarity with tankery, especially considering how randomly they seemed to choose their own tanks (essentially everyone has a different favorite tank, even some they may not have seen or heard of), so I decided to make fun of that when Sparrow Team has to choose their favorite tanks, and show what I consider a more "realistic" approach to people choosing their favorite tanks if they don't know much about it. The same also goes for Octopus Team selecting tanks based on personal experience.

I hope this didn't come off as too rushed; I was hoping for a sort of "thrown-together" feel similar to the "Introductions" episodes.

Thank you for the reviews for last chapter.

CaptainDavidBlake: Supposedly, tankery's popularity has declined in recent years, but it still seems to attract large crowds. It thus makes sense that the matches would be televised, and this is in part keeping with Saki, in which most of the games we've seen so far are televised.

EXpertUS: Later chapters will have more focus on the opposition.

As for the manga, it's an interesting perspective on the story, but Yukari doesn't have enough going for her to be the main character.

According to Yuuki K. in the first chapter of the Saki manga, Nodoka's father is a defense attorney and Nodoka's mother is a prosecutor, so your guess about Nodoka's father's career is correct.

Next chapter will show the aftermath of the battle with Anzio.


	12. Duty And Family

**Chapter 9: Duty And Family**

The Oarai team cheered as the announcement of their first victory over another school came over the loudspeakers. This was an encouraging sign for them, in showing that they were able to overcome superior numbers in spite of their inexperience. They realized that Anzio was nowhere near the top of the heap, but if their defeat against BC Freedom showed them they how far they had to go, their winning against Anzio was proof of how far they had come.

"Great shot, Hana-san!" Miho said.

"It's all because you believed I could do it, Miho-san," Hana said.

Rabbit Team breathed sighs of relief. While unable to fight back against they enemy, they realized that, as flag tank, staying in the game was their only job. As such, all else was secondary to it- they should only fight enemies that threatened to take them out, flee if their current location was unsafe and their destination would be, and stand their ground if they were in a safe place and not at risk of being found.

Perhaps if they could do this much, tankery no longer seemed as intimidating. Perhaps Miho was right to keep them around.

* * *

The post-game ceremonies began, and both sides exchanged bows, with Anzio's bows more forced and reluctant than Oarai's. Afterward, Anchovy walked over, glaring at Miho.

"Nishizumi Miho!" Anchovy shouted while pointing an accusing finger in Miho's face. "I do not accept your way of tankery!"

Miho froze, taken aback by Anchovy's sudden hostility.

"I thought you had some resolve in you when your subordinate infiltrated our school," Anchovy said. "But then I heard that it wasn't even your idea. What _was_ your idea... was throwing away victory back when you were vice-captain at Black Forest!"

The rest of the Oarai team reacted in surprise. Some were surprised at the notion that Miho would cast aside a position as second-in-command at Black Forest to come to a school at Oarai. Others were surprised that Miho was the girl at the center of the incident that cost Black Forest the championship last year.

Others, like Yukari and Hisa, were not surprised at all; they knew of the decision that Miho had made. In fact, that was why they chose to trust Miho as their commander, in spite of how people like Anchovy would question their logic. Miho herself had suspected that this had been the root cause behind Anchovy's contempt of her, even though Anchovy had not come out and said it.

"Yes, it is true," Miho said. "I chose to save my teammates last year, valued doing so over winning, and Black Forest was defeated. But the reason I did it was because there are things more important than victory- namely, those you fight alongside."

"H-how could you say that?" Anchovy said.

"I made many friends since I came to Oarai," Miho said. "Two of them played a large role in convincing me to do tankery again because I knew my new friends would stand by my decisions. They all have different reasons for getting involved, and mine is to fight alongside them."

Anchovy paused. She had misjudged Miho- Miho was not as foolish as Anchovy had assumed her to be, merely idealistic. And while Miho still did not see things Anchovy's way, they had at least some common ground. Perhaps Miho could be reasoned with- Anchovy believed that while placing victory above all else might be a foreign concept to Miho, helping her friends was not.

"...Don't you get it?" Anchovy said. "The duty of a commander is to lead her forces to victory. If you care so much about your comrades, you owe them at least that much. Whatever they're fighting for, I'm sure they're all striving for victory, whether out of a sense of loyalty to the team, or because it serves their own purposes. By sacrificing victory to help the crew of that one tank back then, you betrayed the trust all the others had in you."

Rabbit Team pondered what Anchovy had said, and Azusa shook her head. They understood that even if they were not the flag tank, their efforts played a role in the outcome of the battle, and they had a responsibility to do their best. So what should a commander do about those who were unable to fulfill their responsibilities? Obviously, tolerating incompetence was not a feasible decision, both for idealistic and for pragmatic commanders. But would Anchovy have given them the opportunity to improve, like Miho had? Azusa was unsure about Anchovy, but was sure about Miho, and as such, knew which commander she preferred to follow.

Miho remained silent. She had made her point, and saw no point in preaching to someone already set in her ways, especially when Anchovy was in no mood to hear it. But she was surprised to hear that for Anchovy, while winning was most important, it was for her comrades. Clearly, trying to educate Anchovy about the importance of one's friends would be superfluous. And just as obviously, Anchovy had a very different idea about how to support her comrades, one that Miho could not so easily persuade her to change.

"You lack the resolve necessary to win for those comrades…" Anchovy continued, biting her lip as she did. "And yet, despite our best efforts and your halfhearted resolve, we…no, I… could not defeat you. What does that say about me? About you?"

Anchovy began to walk away, hanging her head in despair and shame and forgoing the encouraged post-game handshake. She had been defeated, but she could not accept her defeat against someone like Miho or congratulate her by winning with a mindset that went against her most strongly held beliefs.

Miho's expression turned downcast, unable to say anything else in response. She had made her choice in the past, and, even now, stood by it. But while Miho was not one to be intolerant of or judgmental towards others' views, she had to wonder- had she been making assumptions about those who placed winning above all else in the past?

Hisa, noticing Miho's discomfort, placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, Miho, you can't help it when people react that way," Hisa said. "The only thing we can do now is become a team that's strong enough so that there's no shame in losing to us. "

"That's not it," Miho said. "I've been told to win so many times that I was expected to win a given match without being told why I had to do so. As such, I forgot why I wanted to win, and saw it as something that I could give up if necessary. This is the first time I've heard of winning being described this way- perhaps this is Anchovy-san's way of tankery"

"Perhaps," Hisa said. "There's a fine line between dedication and obsession, but there are some battles that can't be lost, regardless of what one may be fighting for. At the same time, however, like I said back at the cafe, you should never forget _why_ you don't want to lose."

Miho nodded.

"That's true," Miho said. "And it's not as though I don't want to win, either."

"Neither do I," Hisa said. "So why do _you_ want to win, Miho?"

"When Hana-san's shell hit the flag tank, and I heard the announcer call out that we'd won, I enjoyed it," Miho said. "And, like Anchovy-san said, all of you wanted to win for your own reasons, right?" There were several reasons Miho's friends had for competing that Miho did not want to openly disclose to others, wanting to respect her friends' privacy. And Miho knew that she did not know every single member's reason for wanting to do tankery, but she believed that her statement spoke to all of them.

Hisa nodded, and none of the other tankers contested that assertion.

"In that case, by winning, we were able to achieve our respective goals," Miho said. "So good work, everyone; let's keep it up in the next round!"

The rest of the Oarai tankery team cheered.

* * *

As the last of Anzio's tanks were loaded onto the Anzio school ship, Anchovy turned to Carpaccio.

"This is all my fault…" Anchovy said.

"No, Duce," Carpaccio said. "Many of your subordinates, myself included, failed to rise to the occasion. Perhaps if I'd attacked the Cromwell instead of the Pz 38, I would have survived long enough to attack the rest from the rear."

"Maybe that is true to some extent; if I was the crew of that Black Forest tank that fell in the water last year, I'd be ashamed of myself," Anchovy said. "I'd offer the commander my resignation."

"Would you accept _our_ flag tank commander's resignation if she offered it?" Carpaccio said.

"Only if she had no chance of improving herself as much as we needed, or worse yet, had lost the resolve to continue," Anchovy said. "Nishizumi Miho threw away victory last year, and now she's the core of the team- the one who inspires them and, to an even greater extent than most schools, guides them."

Anchovy took a deep breath, and composed herself.

"For better or worse, they have a chance to continue now, to fight more difficult opponents," Anchovy said. "Winning the first round proves little, but maybe this was meant to happen. Maybe, when the chips are down for them, we'll get to see what they're made of."

* * *

Maho, Erika and Teru discussed the end of the match from their seats.

"Bah, Anzio was nothing special," Erika said. "If they had to field those tankettes, it's either due to them thinking those things were tactically viable, or not having enough good tanks to make a 10-tank crew, neither of which is indicative of a serious contender in the tournament."

"Of course, Oarai couldn't even field a full team of 10 tanks, much less 15 or 20," Teru said. "And in spite of that, Anzio lost against Oarai."

"Oarai triumphed over them, even with its disadvantages, and even when many thought it had no chance to do so," Maho said. "I wonder what they could do if they had tanks of our caliber."

"Still, Erika's right," Teru said. "Two years ago, Anzio's performance against us was not even good enough to help me warm up. Oarai has a long way to go before it can threaten us."

Maho could not deny what Teru was saying. It took more than a collection of tanks and enough girls to crew them to make a team. The strength of the tanks determined how well they would fare against those of rival teams, and the skill of the crew would determine how effectively the tanks could be used.

"_Miho, even separated from Black Forest's powerful tanks and my strategic guidance, you still can lead a team to victory. Well done,"_ she thought.

* * *

After Anchovy's departure, Anglerfish Team's focus shifted to celebrating their victory, thanks in large part to Saori changing the subject. The girls of Anglerfish Team had changed into their school uniforms, and were wondering what to do until the ship returned to pick them up

"Wow, that match ended quickly," Saori said. "It's too bad, though, that the ship's not coming around until later; we must have won too quickly."

"As soon as I find a good place to sleep, I'm going to take a nap," Mako R. said. "Wake me when it's time to go."

Suddenly, the meowing of a cat was heard. Miho turned around to see where the noise was coming from, but it was from the pocket of Mako's uniform.

"Mako, your phone's ringing," Saori said. Mako R. retrieved the cell phone from her pocket, and checked the caller ID. She did not recognize the number for the person that was calling her, nor did the caller ID provide anything that would have jogged her memory.

"I don't know who it's from," Mako R. said. Mako R.'s group of friends was small, and the group of people who knew her cell phone number was not much larger- only said friends, her grandmother, and a few other people who had her as a contact in the event of an emergency.

"Hello?" Mako R. said. Her friends did not hear the person on the other end of the conversation or understand what Mako was saying, but they saw Mako R.'s face twist in shock. As such, when Mako R. claimed that the call was "Nobody important," no one believed her, especially when she dropped her cell phone immediately afterward.

"It _was_ important!" Saori said.

"It was the hospital," Mako R. said. "My grandma collapsed and has been rushed to the Oarai hospital. I've got to get over as soon as possible!"

"But the ship's not back yet," Yukari said.

"Then I'll swim if I have to!" Mako R. said with a sense of urgency uncharacteristic of a relatively lethargic and unmotivated individual like her, as her teammates tried to restrain her. Despite her intelligence, she forgot for the moment that even if she had the ability to get that far, it would take a long time- and perhaps, in a worst-case scenario, she would be too late.

"You can use the helicopter we took to get here," a voice said from behind Miho and the others, one Miho recognized as her sister's.

Miho turned as soon as she recognized her sister's voice, and the rest of the team followed suit once they noticed Miho turning.

"Commander, are you just seriously going to lend these girls our helicopter on a whim?" Erika said. "They're not even from our team!"

"This is also part of tankery," Maho said, giving Erika a resolute look that indicated that she stood by what she had just said, and believed it required no further explanation.

Erika sighed. The entire idea of having to be a taxi service for a school that she had recently disparaged- specifically, the girl whose comment had most gotten under her skin- was utterly humiliating, and exacerbated by the fact that she, the pilot for Black Forest's helicopter, would have to fly them. But she could not refuse a direct order from her commander, even one she disagreed with.

To some people, Maho's statement would have come off as an excuse. But for most of her life, Maho had to balance what she wanted to do with what the Nishizumi family expected her to do. The Nishizumi creed dictated that its practitioners do anything and everything necessary to win on the battlefield, but said nothing about how to act off of it. Maho recognized the rules of good sportsmanship, which she believed were necessary to uphold the family's good name, as well as the idea that rivals on the field could be friends off of it. But she also could not necessarily turn away people who needed help when it was in her power to give it, especially not her little sister and her friends.

"Onee-chan…" Miho said. She understood that actions spoke louder than words, and while her sister often had to consider how others, especially her mother, saw her, the fact that she would do something like this for a rival team mattered more.

* * *

Maho led Team Anglerfish to the helicopter. As Erika got into the pilot's seat, Mako R., bowing in appreciation to Maho, boarded the passenger section in the rear. Moments later, Saori followed her in, with a hasty, "I'm going, too!"

As the helicopter prepared for takeoff, Maho and Teru took their leave.

"Thank you…" Miho said to Maho.

Maho said nothing in response, merely giving a slight smile to Miho and nodding in acknowledgment. Erika was unable to see or hear it, with her back turned and the sound of the helicopter propellers spinning drowning out any sound it might have made. Neither could Teru, who was following a few paces behind Maho.

Mako R. glanced out the window of the helicopter, at Miho. She had not heard much out of Maho, but she found the dearth of talking between the sisters to be telling in and of itself. She might have been tempted to write Maho off as simply cold and distant, but her being willing to loan a helicopter to a complete stranger proved otherwise. But was Miho happy with the way things were with her sister? Was Maho?

Mako R. understood what she herself was feeling now- the same sort of concern for a friend that Saori felt when she boarded the helicopter with her. She turned to Saori as she sat next to her in the back of the helicopter.

"Mako?" Saori said. "I'm sure your grandmother will be all right, if they got her to the hospital."

"I hope so," Mako R. said. "But surely you noticed, Saori? Miho and her sister don't seem to have a normal relationship."

"Well, I suppose you're right," Saori said. "They seem as though they haven't seen each other for a while, so you'd think Miporin's sister would look happy to see her."

"Maybe something happened between them," Mako R. said. "Of course, Miho never said anything about this."

"I have no idea," Saori said. "Miporin doesn't seem like the type to do something to make someone else mad. Of course, Miporin's sister is not necessarily a bad person, either; she did help us out here, even though we're relative strangers."

"True," Mako R. said. "Maybe she cares and, for some reason, just can't show it well."

Mako R. paused a moment, realizing that she was not the most expressive individual as far as affection went, and neither was her grandmother. As such, Mako R. had learned to read between the lines, to recognize the feelings people did not openly express and the things they left unsaid. She believed she had to, after failing to recognize an act intended for her own good until it was too late.

"Oh, and Saori?" Mako R. said. "If Miho and the others ask, you can tell them about my parents."

"Why not tell them yourself, Mako?" Saori said.

"I'm... kind of hesitant," Mako R. said. "Maybe for the same reason Miho hasn't said much about her family until now. Maybe because if I said it, I'll sound like I'm making an excuse. Maybe because I think you'll do a better job."

"Ok," Saori said. "But what brought this on?"

"If something happened between Miho and the rest of her family, then my story might be educational for her," Mako R. said. "At the very least, I hope she doesn't make the same mistake I did."

* * *

The helicopter took off and flew off into the distance. Anglerfish team, sans Mako and Saori stood around and waited, in uneasy silence. Even if the incident with Mako's grandmother had not happened, they would still need to wait for the ship to come back.

Suddenly, Hana's cell phone began to ring with the default ringtone. Saori was the one who had convinced Hana to get a cell phone in their first year at Oarai, around the time they became friends, and Hana, not familiar with technology, only knew how to make and receive calls with the cell phone.

"That would be my cell phone this time," she said. "But why would I get a call like this now?"

* * *

_Elsewhere, at the end of the match_

At the Isuzu household, Isuzu Yuri, Hana's mother and head of the family, was watching the news in her home, a spacious and traditionally Japanese house in Mito, which was located in a part of the city close to Oarai. The Isuzu family had been reluctant to get a television; Yuri's mother, the person to first purchase one, only used hers for the weather, for news and for the occasional movie.

Yuri wore a green kimono- what was for most people a garment they wore for formal occasions or for the sake of tradition was for her an everyday attire. She was somewhat aware of how most people would view her attire as slightly quaint at best and anachronistic at worst, but she often advised her daughter to not let popular opinion and peer pressure influence her values.

Yuri frequently made this point regarding manners, stressing that while some people would think Hana stuffy or overly polite for talking as formally as she did, she should not let it deter her. Yuri addressed most of her friends and even her daughter as "-san" and used "sir" and "ma'am" on strangers. While she was aware not everyone did what she did, she would gently correct anyone who she believed presumed too much familiarity with her, politely asking to be referred to as "Isuzu-san," or "ma'am," a degree of respect to which she believed she was entitled.

Yuri had a similar opinion about flower arranging, believing that those who saw it as an outdated art with no practical use, or disliked it for other reasons could stay away from it, while she, her daughter and those who came after her would uphold the tradition and teach it to those who wished to learn it. Unlike those who were not as well-mannered as she was, she did not judge those who did not share her appreciation for flower arranging, merely hoping that they would not disparage her art. There were many things that Yuri considered barbaric or repulsive, particularly tankery, and as much as she hoped they would be outlawed, realized that trying to make her desire reality was unfeasible. Therefore, she decided to tolerate them, but ensure that her daughter Hana would not be exposed to them.

On the television, a woman dressed in a charcoal gray business suit with a white dress shirt and blue necktie, was anchor for the news.

"And now for local news," the woman, Satou Yuuko, said. "Oarai Academy has kicked off its return to the national tankery scene by defeating Anzio Academy in the first round of the national tournament. Oarai second-year Isuzu Hana-san was the one who delivered the game-winning shot."

"Th-this has to be a joke…!" Yuri said. "Hana-san would never…" Yuri then saw a picture of her daughter on the screen.

With a shriek, Yuri toppled to the side, onto the floor, and fainted from the shock.

"MISTRESS!" Shinzaburou cried out as he, hearing the sound of Yuri's scream, ran into the room and quickly moved to try to revive Yuri.

* * *

_Present day_

Hana fished her cell phone out of her pocket, and noticed that the caller ID said "Isuzu Residence." Hana's brow furrowed. "But why would Mother or Shinzaburou be calling me now? I did not tell them where I was going or what I was doing today."

Miho and Yukari froze, as they were dreading yet another unpleasant call.

"Hello, this is Hana," Hana said.

"Hana-san, this is your mother," Yuri said, having come to almost immediately before placing the call. "I saw a news report about Oarai's victory in a tankery match against Anzio that included your name and picture. I could not believe it at first, but... is it true that you are doing tankery?"

"Yes, Mother…" Hana said, quickly walking away from the others. She quickly got far enough away so that they could not see her, but unbeknownst to her, they could hear her side of the conversation.

"Did something happen?" Yuri said. "You seemed to be satisfied with flower arranging until now."

"I _was_ satisfied," Hana said. "But I no longer feel as though it's enough."

"Your flowers have followed the Isuzu style until now," Yuri said. "You have produced many high-quality works since you started, and I have always let you know how much I approved."

"That is true, Mother, but I still do not feel as though it is good enough," Hana said. "I am looking for an outside influence, one that can revitalize my flower arranging."

"Through _tanks_?" Yuri said incredulously. "They are loud, vulgar, barbaric weapons of war! If every last one of them were reduced to scrap metal, the world would be a better place!"

"_Akiyama-san would be unhappy to hear about that proposal, much less see it come to pass,"_ Hana thought.

Hana realized that there was a conflict now. Her mother did not approve of her doing tankery. But if she gave it up now, she would let down all her friends who were counting on her. She could only hope that her mother's reaction would be easier to bear than her friends' feelings of disappointment.

"I am sorry, but I will not give up tankery, Mother," Hana said, steeling herself for her mother's reaction. "My friends are counting on me, and I believe that it is the only way to settle the doubts I have about flower arranging."

"Is that so?" Yuri said, her voice turning icy as she summoned the resolve to repress her emotions. "In that case, I have no wish to see or hear from you again as long as you are involved with tankery. Please do not contact me unless your wish to tell me that you have recanted your decision."

In the background, Hana heard a faint, "Mistress, please!" from Shinzaburou, then an angry, "SILENCE, SHINZABUROU!" from her mother, loud enough to be audible despite not being spoken into the receiver.

"Very well, Mother ," Hana said. "I will show you the results of my improvement one day. Goodbye."

After a moment of silence, Hana hung up, realizing that there was nothing more to say, at least not at the moment.

Yuri took several deep breaths to calm herself, before turning to Shinzaburou.

"Please leave, Shinzaburou," she said. "I need some time alone with my thoughts."

"As you wish, Mistress," Shinzaburou said.

Shinzaburou bowed, and left the room. A few moments later, he took his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Hana's number.

Hana was reeling from what had happened. She was not surprised that her mother would reach her decision, but was unpleasantly shocked to hear that she had learned of Hana doing tankery before she had anything to show for it. Perhaps things would be different if Hana had been able to revitalize flower arranging first, but for now, she suspected tankery was nothing more than a distraction at best in her mother's eyes.

As soon as the "Call Terminated" sign faded from Hana's cell phone, it was replaced with a sign indicating that a call was coming, this time from Shinzaburou.

"_He must not be happy with Mother's decision,"_ Hana thought, realizing that Shinzaburou could not speak out of turn when his mistress was concerned, much less openly criticize her decisions.

"Hello, Shinzaburou?" Hana said

"Miss, will I never see you again?" Shinzaburou said. In his training to be a servant for the Isuzu family, Shinzaburou was taught the importance of decorum, but Hana could hear him barely suppressing his tears.

"Please do not think that the rift between my mother and I will be permanent, Shinzaburou," Hana said. "Someday, my mother will come around once she sees the flowers I can make for her. I am sure of it."

"Is there nothing I can do for you, Miss?" Shinzaburou said.

"There _is_ something," Hana said, hoping to reassure him. "Please keep me apprised of any developments regarding my mother. And please, if you can, let her know that I will be moving forward in the tournament."

"I will," Shinzaburou said. "I hope to hear from you again, Miss."

"This _will not _be the last time we talk, Shinzaburou," Hana said decisively. "I look forward to our next conversation. Goodbye."

Hana hung up.

Near Hana's location, Nodoka, who was taking a walk with Saki, could not help but overhear the conversation, and understood enough to know that Hana's mother had cast her out. The thought of her relationship with her parents degenerating to that point frightened her, but she saw that Hana had stood firm. Would that time come for her, and what decision would she make when it did?

Nodoka, lost in her thoughts, and Saki, preoccupied with the suddenly distracted Nodoka, failed to notice Hana as she spotted them at a distance.

"Is that you, Haramura-san, Miyanaga-san?" Hana said.

"Isuzu-senpai…" Nodoka said. "Are you… alright?"

"I will be," Hana said. "My mother did not approve of my taking tankery. I expected that she might react this way, and was careless to assume that she would not find out, before I was ready. But as I said, I believe my mother will come around one day."

Nodoka paused to consider what Hana had said. A part of her dismissed it as something she would say to reassure a mere acquaintance or servant that she was not distressed, not being close enough to either to confide in them her problems.

Miho and Yukari glanced at each other as Hana turned back to them. They both knew that she would downplay her own situation, and instead focus on what she could do about her mother. With that in mind, Miho chose to view Hana as less a victim of ill treatment, and more as someone who was undertaking a task of great difficulty and personal importance.

"Hana-san," Miho said, knowing that Hana most likely knew that she had overheard much of the conversation, but unwilling to take the bull by the horns. "I'll do my best, too."

Hana smiled and nodded as she and the rest of the team prepared to return to Oarai. Shinzaburou would help serve as an intermediary with her and her mother, and her friends would help her continue winning tankery matches, just as she had pledged her help to assist in their achieving their goals. She was not alone, and found the burden of the task she was faced with easier to bear.

* * *

Elsewhere, as Shinzaburou hung up the phone and got back to his chores, he pondered the difficult situation ahead of him. He was in the employ of the Isuzu family, specifically Yuri, the family head. He was expected to do what he was told- nothing more, nothing less- and for the most part, this seemed to be a reasonable arrangement for someone like him, who knew the terms and accepted them at the beginning. But with his mistress and his daughter at odds, and him at an optimal position to mediate their dispute, was it right for him to sit passively by and obey his mistress' orders?

He wondered if he could have done anything to prevent this, but knew that he had been as surprised as Yuri to hear that Hana was doing tankery, albeit far less opposed to it. And while Hana seemed more receptive to what he had to say, he understood very well that if there was nothing Yuri could do that would dissuade Hana from doing tankery, he could not do anything to convince her to give it up and apologize to her mother.

There were only two options left- accept that the rift between mother and daughter would be permanent, or find some way to convince Yuri to come around. But Yuri was, at least at the moment, in no mood to hear anything he had to say. She would have to first understand why Hana chose tankery, as well as what tankery was all about, but Shinzaburou did not know what he could say to convince her to understand either without stepping out of bounds.

Perhaps it would be too much to assume that it would blow over. But in time, Yuri would be calmer, and easier to talk and reason with. If that was true, perhaps Hana was right that things would get better in the future. Perhaps Yuri would eventually forgive her.

_"I'll wait for you, Miss... for as long as it takes!" _Shinzaburou thought.

* * *

Back at the landing zone near the battlefield, Maho waited as Erika brought the helicopter in for a landing.

"You're back, Erika," Maho said. "How did it go?"

"Both of my passengers have been dropped off at the hospital," Erika said. "I don't know whether I made it in time, though, but they seemed to be hopeful."

"I see," Maho said. "I suppose that's the best we can hope for."

"Get in, Commander, Teru," Erika said. "I do hope you have an excuse ready; the coach will not be happy about us being late."

"I'll take responsibility," Maho said. "Did that girl and her friend get to the hospital where her grandmother is?"

"She did," Erika said. "I imagine after our little exchange in the café, she's less than happy to get help from me, but she was willing to accept it nevertheless, and thanked me for it."

"That's good to hear," Maho said. "For what it's worth, I appreciate you doing this, and I'm sure that the girl you helped, for all she seems to dislike you, feels the same way." Maho then dialed the coach's cell phone number. The coach, wondering why Maho was late getting back, had been listening for any phone calls with information, and picked up immediately.

"Kubo speaking," Kubo Takako, tankery coach for Black Forest, said, after she picked up the phone.

"Coach, we're on our way back," Maho said. "On my orders, Erika dropped off one of the Oarai girls at the hospital, to get to her hospitalized grandmother quickly. That's why we're running a little behind schedule."

"Is that so, Maho?" Takako said. "I hope you're not trying to cover for Itsumi like you did for your sister last year."

"Erika protested, but the Commander told her that there was no conflict between Nishizumi tankery ideals and helping opposing teams outside of the battle," Teru said. "Erika was not fully convinced, but could not refuse a direct order."

"I see…" Takako said. "It sounds like you're telling the truth, Miyanaga. What about the girls from Oarai? Did they make it in time?"

"From what I heard from Erika, they did, Coach," Maho said.

Takako could not help but smile, although Maho never saw it.

"Just get back as soon as you can- Kubo out," Takako said, unusually pleasantly.

As Takako hung up, she pondered what Maho had done. There were some who would discipline her on principle, but the team had lost nothing. Perhaps no one would mind if she "forgot" to talk to Maho.

As the helicopter took off, Maho thought back to what it meant to be born to the Nishizumi family. By her knowledge, none of Miho's teammates had anything comparable to the Nishizumi's fervent devotion- perhaps obsession- with tankery. Maho briefly wondered if Hana was, perhaps, related to the same Isuzus who ran the family's school of flower arrangement, but believed it unlikely- no Isuzu would be allowed to devote herself to anything other than flower arrangement, much less tankery.

Perhaps to those people, Maho came off as cold and aloof. To them, family mattered more than anything else, especially more than a game they had only recently started to play. Fooling them was an unfortunate side effect of appearing to be the perfect Nishizumi heiress. And while Maho knew the story of the Prince and the Pauper, as well as its moral, there were times when she wondered what it would be like to be in their shoes.

Maho had to wonder- just who were those girls? Why were they trying so hard? And what were their family lives like? But Maho was certain of one thing.

"_Girls of the Panzer IV's crew, thank you for looking after Miho_," Maho thought. _"And, naïve as it may be, know that there are times when I wish my and my sister's lives were more like yours."_

Maho realized that her turn in the first round would come up soon and she would have work to do before, during and after the match. But for the moment, while she could she rested, and continued to think about Miho.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows.

It's somewhat telling that as Maho is walking away while Miho is thanking her for loaning her their helicopter, that you can't see her face. Her response is my interpretation; a subtle gesture of appreciation and affection toward Miho that no one else can see.

According to Saori, Mako R. privately expressed worry for Miho, and Mako R. can be seen looking out the window of the helicopter at Miho and Maho. Perhaps Mako R. had already started to suspect something had happened with Miho's family; I decided to explore this in their conversation in the helicopter.

Hana's mother finding out about her doing tankery is different than in canon, but I imagined that, whatever the case, Hana would not be able to keep it a secret for very long.

I'm not entirely sure why Hana's mother uses "-san" on her daughter, apart from having an extremely formal way of speaking.


	13. One Step Closer

**Chapter 10: One Step Closer  
**

Miho, Hana and Yukari walked uneasily down the corridors of the hallway of Oarai's hospital, having changed into casual outfits that they believed would make them look presentable for Mako R.'s grandmother. They had managed to contact Mako R. and Saori the previous night and confirmed that they had arrived at the hospital, but only found out Mako R.'s grandmother's room number, not anything about her condition.

Much to their surprise, the first indication of the patient's condition was her voice, coming through the closed door while Hana was about to knock. The girls vaguely overheard Mako R.'s grandmother shouting complaints and insisting that Mako R. not waste any more time in the hospital room when she should be at school.

"Perhaps we shouldn't go in?" Yukari said.

"No, we have come this far," Hana said. "We cannot be deterred now, even if our reception is hostile."

Miho and Yukari glanced at each other, realizing the deeper meaning present in Hana's words. As Hana had stood up to her own mother and been disowned less than a day ago, it was no surprise.

The trio of girls stepped through the door and noticed Saori and Mako R. in their Oarai school uniforms. They also noticed Mako R.'s grandmother, Reizei Hisako, sitting up in bed, clad in hospital clothing, and eying them warily.

"Miporin! Yukarin! Hana!" Saori said.

"Who are they and what are are they doing here?" Hisako said bluntly.

"My friends," Mako R. said. "After I got a call about your collapsing, Grandma, they heard and got worried, so they came here.

"They're not worried about me- they were worried about you!" Hisako said. While a part of Hisako found being pitied insulting, another part concluded that it was more logical to assume that Mako R.'s friends were concerned about their friend, rather than a woman they had heard about second-hand and never actually met.

_"Really, Grandma?"_ Mako R. thought skeptically. _"Miho always struck me as the kind of person who seems to care about those she's just met- why else would she have helped me get to school? For that matter, her sister seems to take after her in that respect."_

"Anyway, they're friends of mine from tankery," Mako R. said.

"You're doing tankery?" Hisako said. Hana subtly winced, bracing herself for another child coming into conflict with her family. "I never could figure out what the big deal about it was, and neither could my daughter-in-law, even if tankery was supposedly more popular in her generation. Still, it's a step up from taking naps in the afternoon."

"Well, it's an elective at Oarai, and we're required to take one," Saori said. "Mako was originally going to take calligraphy."

Mako R. had originally chosen calligraphy under the reasoning that as it essentially involved the art of moving a brush and writing, it did not require much effort, unlike the martial arts electives, for example.

"Don't any of these things teach anything useful?" Hisako said. "But useful or not, you really should get back soon. I'd rather not have you wasting time here on my account."

"Right, Grandma," Mako R. said calmly, but with a hint of reluctance. The worst had passed, but Mako R. still worried about her grandmother.

Mako R. walked out of the room, followed by Saori, Hana and Yukari.

As Miho started to leave, she stopped when she heard Hisako speaking. Turning around, Miho noticed that Hisako had turned away from her, possibly not wanting to show them her expression.

"You know, Mako, for all her intelligence, isn't too good with social graces and whatnot- of course, neither am I," Hisako said. "But all the same, there's a lot more to her than that, and I'm glad you're sticking with her long enough to find out."

"It's our pleasure!" Miho said.

Stepping out into the hall, Miho found Mako sitting on a chair and leaning back, having apparently nodded off. Miho noticed the smile on Mako R.'s face, and was hesitant to disturb her.

* * *

As Team Anglerfish left the hospital, Hana carried the sleeping Mako on her back; contrary to the impression she left on most people, she was a tall and surprisingly strong girl.

"I'm glad to hear that Reizei-san's grandmother is feeling better," Hana said.

"This won't be the end of Mako's problems in this matter," Saori said. "It isn't the first time her grandma's collapsed, and it won't be the last."

"Still, while Reizei-dono and her grandmother often argue, there didn't seem to be any hard feelings involved in it," Yukari said. "Not like Isuzu-dono and her mother..."

Yukari stopped herself short and clapped a hand over my mouth.

"I-I'm sorry!" Yukari said. "It's just after I heard that your mother, well... told you you couldn't come home, I couldn't help but say it out loud. I have a bad habit of not being able to keep my mouth shut or tell what I shouldn't disclose to others."

Saori gasped in surprise, while Miho gave a melancholy nod in response. Mako R. stirred on Hana's back, almost imperceptibly, having heard it, but being too tired to say anything. Hana sighed, realizing that she could no longer keep her family issues from her friends.

"Your mother _disowned_ you, Hana?" Saori said, not having heard what Yukari was talking about.

"No, please do not call it that, Saori-san," Hana said. "She does not wish to see me or speak with me until I recant my decision to take tankery. According to Shinzaburou, our family servant, she is still paying for my education and living expenses at Oarai. He said that Mother may sometimes be over-emotional and prone to taking things personally, but she is not the sort who would neglect my needs over something like this." Hana relayed Shinzaburou's comments with a hint of levity in her voice, as though she found the notion of worrying about her mother cutting her off touching but misplaced.

"I'm starting to appreciate my own parents more," Yukari said. "Mom and Dad saw for years that tankery seemingly did little but isolate me from my friends, but they still supported me nevertheless, since I found tanks fun. Mom was one of the first women in her family to work outside the home. Dad's parents wanted him to be a lawyer like his father was, but he realized he didn't have the grades to get into law school, and chose to become a hairdresser instead. The parents of both of my parents accepted their decisions, so that's why they're open-minded about mine."

Miho smiled.

"So is that why they're fine with what you do, Akiyama-san?" Miho said.

"That's right," Yukari said. "Mom said she and Dad don't want to give me advice that they don't follow themselves, unless they acknowledge that what they did when they were my age was a mistake. But they don't have any regrets about how things turned out, and hope I can find a path in life I'm happy with."

The group began to board a nearby bus that would stop near the boat they could take to return to the school ship.

"Speaking of which, where are Reizei-dono's parents at a time like this?" Yukari said. "Reizei-dono herself implied that this wasn't the first time this had happened."

"Mako's parents died in an accident while she was in elementary school," Saori said. "And the last time Mako saw them before they died, Mako had an argument with her mother."

Hana's expression turned sober for the first time since she was disowned. She still believed that tankery was the best and most fulfilling path for her, as a woman and as a flower arranger. She still believed that her mother would come around, and still wanted her to do so. But now, she realized that there might be a time limit to her efforts.

"Are you certain you should be telling me this, Saori-san?" Hana said. "It seems Reizei-san would not tell this to others lightly."

"Mako _wanted_ me to do so," Saori said, "although she didn't expect that it would also be relevant to your situation, Hana. She was worried about Miporin, given that Miporin seemed distant from her family."

Miho nodded.

"Is it about my sister?" Miho said. "She cares, even if she can't always show it."

"Well, Mako and I came to that conclusion, after seeing what your sister did for us," Saori said. "I personally think that actions speak louder than words, and there are points at which even seemingly distant and not very affectionate people demonstrate how much they care."

* * *

That evening, after Anglerfish Team left the hospital, Hisako was lost in thought when a nurse came by, making her rounds.

"Excuse me," Hisako said. "Do you happen to know when the tankery matches are broadcast on TV?"

"Yes, ma'am; I can give you the channel if you would like," the nurse said. "There was a tankery match yesterday afternoon; Oarai against Anzio."

"Ah yes, that," Hisako said, leaving unspoken about how that was around the time she had collapsed and been rushed to the hospital. "Do you know when Oarai's next match will be?"

"I'm not sure," the nurse said. "The main matches people are looking forward to are the ones that Black Forest, Pravda and Saunders will have. Oarai's quarterfinals match is not for some time, and is against an opponent that has yet to be determined."

"I see," Hisako said. "My granddaughter, Mako, goes to Oarai and drives for the team."

"That's nice; my niece goes to Chihatan," the nurse said. "But the way things are going now, I don't think she and your granddaughter will face each other; she's not only on the other side of the tournament, but has to face Black Forest right off the bat- until last year, they were defeated for almost a decade. Also in that side is Pravda, the one who defeated them."

"So Mako might end up facing one of those two in the final round?" Hisako said.

"To be honest, ma'am, only if her school gets that far," the nurse said. "St. Gloriana and Saunders, two of the stronger competitors, are their likely opponents. Still, I'll be rooting for Oarai, since the school ship part of my city."

"_Since when did you get a taste for challenges with such steep odds, Mako?"_ Hisako thought; she knew that Mako did as well as she did in school because her intelligence made getting good grades child's play. _"Still, it's a nice change."_

"Well, your niece's trying this hard is certainly admirable," Hisako said. "For a long time, I wished Mako would do the same. But this may yet be a pursuit to which Mako can devote herself, and one at which she might end up succeeding."

* * *

_Elsewhere…_

"Thank you for the match!" the members of Black Forest and Chihatan's tankery teams said as they bowed to each other after the match, which had ended in defeat for Chihatan. An overwhelming pincer assault by Black Forest had devastated Chihatan's front lines, forcing the flag tank to retreat. Maho, having anticipated their escape route and launched her attack to force Chihatan to take it, had pre-emptively sent Teru's tank and two others to cut off their escape. A quick volley of fire struck and disabled the Chihatan flag tank. Chihatan lost eight tanks in the battle, while Black Forest lost only one of theirs.

Jindai Komaki, a Chihatan second-year who was commander of the team, wore a uniform that resembled what she might have worn in the Japanese army during World War II, had they allowed women to enlist as soldiers and crew tanks- at class, she wore the school's uniform of a sailor fuku, and around her family's estate, she often wore the ceremonial robes of a miko. In all cases, she believed that propriety was of the utmost importance.

During the post-game, Teru glanced at Komaki, scrutinizing her. Komaki was hesitant to say anything, but her expression indicated that she was somewhat uncomfortable with the attention. She quickly shifted to a graceful and polite smile before shaking hands with Maho and going back to her team.

As Black Forest's team headed back to their ship, Maho turned to Sumire.

"Teru seemed oddly fixated on Chihatan's commander," Maho said to Sumire. "Have they met?"

"Ah, you didn't know, Commander?" Teru said. "Jindai Komaki looks similar to the way Saki did as a young girl, having a similar hairstyle. However, not only does Saki have a different hairstyle now- short, a bit like Matano's- Saki has chestnut hair, while Jindai's is raven-colored. Additionally, Saki has a practically flat chest, while Jindai… I have to admit I'm somewhat jealous."

"So, is that all they have in common?" Maho said, and Sumire nodded.

"It seems so, but even I can't help but notice Jindai's resemblance to Saki," Sumire said. "Presumably, so does Teru, however much she tries not to think about Saki."

Unbeknownst to Sumire, Teru had a similar reaction to Awai when they first met, but it had lasted only until Awai first opened her mouth, boisterously greeting Teru and declaring that she was the best tank driver in the country.

Awai had briefly noticed Teru's reaction, but without any information that she could use to understand it or give it context, put it out of her mind. So, too, did Komaki.

Komaki returned to her teammates, a large portion were distant relatives of hers, whose families were vassals to Komaki and her family. To them, Komaki was essentially their liege lady, and they honored her with the title of "Princess."

"I offer my most sincere apologies, everyone," she said.

"No, Princess," Usuzumi Hatsumi, Komaki's third cousin, who, despite looking like a small child, was a third-year, said. "We have all been trying harder, so you would not have to push yourself as far."

"It's not often that we get a strong opponent right off the bat," Iwato Kasumi, a third-year and first cousin to Komaki, said. "Last year, we were able to avoid getting Pravda until the second round, and had more of a chance against them. Maybe your luck will improve next year, Komaki-chan."

Komaki smiled slightly and nodded, comforted by what Kasumi had said. While some of her teammates were fairly distant relatives whom she had only met in high school, she had known Kasumi since the two were small children; in comparison to Komaki's relationship with her other teammates, she and Kasumi were more like friends, or even sisters.

"Thank you, Kasumi-chan," Komaki said with a smile. "Speaking of which, who was matched against Pravda in the first round this year?"

* * *

_Elsewhere…_

Pravda's tanks encircled the old church where Bosporu Academy's four remaining tanks were holed up. Hiroe had sent a messenger, giving them five minutes to decide whether to surrender or keep fighting and, as Hiroe's message said, "lose a little bit later than usual."

Katyusha, one of the higher-ranking Pravda officers, and one who, along with the commander and vice-captain, played a major role in formulating Pravda's strategies, waited inside her tank, a T34/85.

"If I was in charge, I'd give them longer- about three hours, maybe? Then I'd be able to get something to eat and take a nap while they're freezing and starving," Katyusha said as she peered out the top of her tank and talked to Nonna, her best friend, who was in a nearby IS-2.

"You're honest as always about your ulterior motives, I see, Katyusha- at least when talking with me," Nonna said. Nonna was perhaps the only Pravda tanker who did not outrank Katyusha and could afford to take such a tone with her. But while Nonna enjoyed poking fun at Katyusha's various flaws, she did not judge her because of her short stature.

Inside a KV-2 commanded by Funakubo Hiroko, a third-year with shoulder-length light brown hair and glasses who was the vice-captain and Hiroe's cousin, the crew used the five minutes to take a break, even if there was not enough time for them to leave the tank.

"Senpais, it's almost time," Nijou Izumi, a girl with short brown hair who was the radio operator and one of the few first-years on the Pravda team said.

"All right," Shimizudani Ryuuka, a girl with long dark hair who was the crew's loader and a third-year, said. She then turned to the girl with shoulder-length brown hair whose head was resting in her lap. "Toki, it's time to wake up."

"Already…?" Onjouji Toki, the gunner and a third-year, said. She was sickly since she got out of the hospital after falling ill the previous year, but her gunnery had improved to a degree that surprised everyone and earned her a spot on the team.

"Hiroe decided to give the enemy five minutes to make up their minds- she's not one for waiting around," Hiroko said. "But don't worry-" Hiroe continued as an eerie smile crossed her face, "We'll end this quickly and you can sleep on the way back, Toki."

"That's the idea," Eguchi Sera, a tomboyish girl with spiky red hair who was the driver, said.

The enemy tanks filed out of the church, into the gap that Hiroe had left in their ranks. They had spent the five minutes discussing amongst themselves what to do, and had no time to scout out the enemy's position.

"Now!" Hiroe said over the radio.

The Pravda tanks opened fire on the advancing Bosporu tanks- three 9TPs and a 10TP, striking down those that came forward in a hail of gunfire that resulted in several thunderous explosions. A well-placed shot by Toki struck the 10TP flag tank in its side, ending the match.

"Pravda High School wins!" the announcer said.

Inside her tank, Hiroe smiled at her victory, as she surveyed all four disabled Bosporu tanks.

"What the enemy lacked in tactical sense, they almost made up for in guts," Hiroe said. "Not bad for a no-name school."

* * *

At the post-game ceremony, the Pravda and Bosporu commanders stood before each other and exchanged bows.

"That was a nice last-ditch effort there," Hiroe said to Kakura Kurumi, a diminutive girl with short brown hair who was Bosporu's commander. "You know, hardly anyone can defeat me, but I have to respect those who give their all and face me head-on. In that regard, you're a long way from where you were three years ago."

Hiroe then extended her right hand for a handshake.

"Why does every time you praise someone always sound like a backhanded compliment?" Kurumi said, before sighing, forcing a smile and shaking Hiroe's hand. "But thanks; it was a good game."

Kurumi glanced over and saw Katyusha on Nonna's shoulders. She wasn't especially proud of being diminutive, but at the same time, she saw trying to compensate for it by relying on the height of another as only admitting to being ashamed of it. In that way, while her team had gotten eliminated in the tournament far earlier and far more easily than they would have liked, she could say that they had fought honorably, with their own ability.

The two teams then began to head back, but for one Bosporu girl, while the tournament ended, she had one thing left to do.

"Commander Atago!" someone called out. Hiroe turned and saw a tall girl with long black hair who wore a black wide-brimmed hat with the tankery uniform. Her name was Anetai Toyone, and she was Kurumi's driver, and a third-year at Bosporu.

Katyusha, perched on Nonna's shoulders, saw the girl come closer and, turning to her, realized that they could make eye contact.

"Whoa, Nonna, I didn't realize there were any girls out there who are actually _taller than you!"_ Katyusha said, amazed.

"Or any girls almost as short as you, like their commander is," Nonna said with an amused smile.

"Please, sign this!" Toyone said, holding out a board in front of Hiroe, as well as a pen.

"Sure thing," Hiroe said, tickled by being considered a famous tankery player, and willing to honor a request of this nature from a fan. She accepted Hiroe's pen, wrote her name on the board, and handed it back to her. "Here you go."

"Thank you so much, Commander Atago!" Toyone said. "It's my last year to do tankery in high school- the first in which I did it with my friends, and I…I also wanted something to remember it by."

Toyone gave Hiroe a deep bow in appreciation, and then did a quick about face to rejoin her friends, hoping to avoid showing Hiroe the tears welling up in her eyes. It had ended sooner than she thought, but she had enjoyed the journey thus far. And while the team was mostly composed of third-years, it could still practice together and train the first- and second-years.

Hiroe, lost in thought, stared and watched Toyone walk away. While determined to win, partly because of her own pride and partly out of loyalty to her team, she did not have anything against her enemies, especially when they were fighting for similar reasons as her. But she also recognized that the tournament was a contest in which only the fittest could advance onward and win.

_"So you don't have anything against me, even though we beat you?"_ Hiroe thought. _"Sounds like the Nishizumi School could learn something from you."_

"Onee-chan?" Hiroe's younger sister, Atago Kinue, a girl with shoulder-length blue hair and glasses, said. "We're heading back."

"All right, Kinue, I'm coming," Hiroe said.

* * *

In the stands, the Atago sisters' mother, Atago Masae, sat with her younger sister, Funakubo Masaki, who was Funakubo Hiroko's mother.

"Well done, girls," Masae, a woman wearing a navy blue business suit and white dress shirt who strongly resembled her younger daughter, but whose hair was waist-length, said with a smile. She was head of the Atago family, and head instructor of the Atago school of tankery.

"You seem quite pleased, Nee-san," Masaki, who, like her daughter, had medium length brown hair and glasses, and wore a turtleneck sweater and a skirt, said.

"Why wouldn't I be, Masaki?" Masae said. "Both my daughters and my niece are now on the team together. Hiroe and Hiroko have done well so far, but I'm pleased to see Kinue doing well, too. They've certainly earned their spots on the team."

"Are you concerned about the possible implications of nepotism?" Masaki said. "As much as their coach, Kumakura-sensei, has done for us, back when we were their age, she's always been fair and principled. She'd only name Hiroe commander or approve her choices for the team- including Hiroko for vice-captain- if she thought that it was for the best."

"It's also for their sake," Masae said. "Hiroe is the sort who wants to earn everything on her own. I may have taught her how to do tankery, but she was the one who asked to learn it, and she was the one who achieved those victories. That's why I'm so proud of her, and I think that's why Kinue takes after her so much."

"That explains a great deal," Masaki said. "Hiroko always noticed that Hiroe doesn't like it when her enemy isn't fighting at full strength. And this might be why Hiroe didn't consider her victory last year a 'true' victory."

Masae nodded.

"I've always taught the students at my tankery school that while they should always aim for victory, constantly strive to improve themselvesand not rest on their laurels, there's more to a game than winning," Masae said. "Sometimes, victory can be hollow if you didn't earn it yourself. And sometimes, defeat can be a good lesson. Of course, my daughters, your daughter and the others have come a long way since starting high school, so I think it's possible for them to win this year."

"Other underdogs have been similarly emboldened," Masaki said, "including Oarai and BC Freedom. With more people putting in more effort than ever to gain the championship, this looks as though it will be an exciting tournament."

* * *

_Elsewhere…_

As the last of BC Freedom's tanks were loaded onto its school ship, and it began the final preparations to set off for sea again, Yasuko started dialing Hisa's number on her cell phone.

"Congratulations on winning, Hisa," Yasuko said. "Sorry I didn't call earlier, but I didn't have a lot of free time, as I was getting my team ready for their match. But it seems that I'll have a lot more free time for the rest of the year."

"So, you didn't win?" Hisa said.

"No, we lost to St. Gloriana," Yasuko said. "Otherwise, we'd be your next opponents."

"So we succeeded where your students failed," Hisa said. "Does that mean that you've perhaps underestimated our chances?"

"It's hard to say," Yasuko said. "On the one hand, you've got many strong opponents left, both in your bracket and in the others. On the other, I was almost completely certain you'd never make it, even against a school of Anzio's caliber. So, for now, while I still think the odds aren't in your favor, and you have a ways to go before you stand a chance against Black Forest, I won't make any predictions with absolute certainty, lest I regret them."

"Thanks, Yasuko," Hisa said. "I wish you the best of luck next year, and the years to come after it."

"You're right," Yasuko said. "I do have quite a bit of time left to keep trying."

After saying goodbye to Hisa and hanging up, Yasuko turned to Kei A., who was waiting nearby, holding a basket in her hands.

"Ah, Kei," Yasuko said. "I'm sorry, I was on the phone."

"I just wanted to show you something, Coach," Kei A. said and handed Yasuko the basket. "It looks like our efforts weren't completely in vain."

"An 'endorsement' from St. Gloriana, huh?" Yasuko said. "If I were their commander, I'd still think our team has a ways to go. But if we'd gone up against St. Gloriana instead of Oarai in our practice battle, we probably wouldn't have earned this."

"My friends and I spoke after the battle," Kei A. said, "and we're going to get ready to try again next year."

"That's the spirit," Yasuko said with a smile. "Of course, you will need to work on your weaknesses, and either remove the weak links or make them strong, but where there's a will, there's a way."

* * *

_Meanwhile, at Oarai_

After one afternoon practice session, Hisa approached Miho for a private discussion, and led her to an isolated corner near the tankery garage.

"So what did you want to talk with me about, Hisa-senpai?" Miho said. "And why do you want to speak with me alone?"

"I'd like your honest opinion, Miho," Hisa said. "And I'd like you to give it to me in a place where you can say it, but without having to worry about offending anyone."

"What would you like to know that might offend people?" Miho said, slightly confused.

"This may sound harsh," Hisa said, "but are there any weak links in the team that you can think of? Your team and mine are doing quite well, but we'll need to get _everyone_ up to speed."

Miho sighed, realizing this was a necessary question with an unpleasant answer.

"I can think of a few," Miho said. "The Type 89 is by far our weakest tank, and has too little power to effectively take out most opposing tanks- but until we get another tank, we're stuck with it. Rabbit Team tends to get taken out much earlier than the others, although it is partly a product of bad luck and they have gotten better since the practice match; that's why they were able to survive in the match with Anzio. And there's one team that keeps missing…"

Miho trailed off, remembering the person with whom she was speaking. At times, she almost forgot that Hisa was not part of Turtle Team, having associated her with them because of her position on the Student Council, and she feared that she might take offense to criticizing her friend and colleague.

"You mean Momo?" Hisa said, slightly catching Miho off guard in her directly addressing the issue.

"Touyoko-san's quite good, comparable to Saki-san or Hana-san," Miho said. "But the PR rep… how do I say this… I feel the team might do better if someone else takes the gun of the Pz 38. All the other gunners have improved since the practice battle... except her." A knot formed in Miho's throat. "But I...I don't know how I can tell her that. My sister, due to being commander and a different kind of person than I was, was responsible for dealing with under-performing tankers at Black Forest"

Hisa sighed.

"I can see what you mean," Hisa said. "Momo's my friend, but I recognize that her aiming, to put it bluntly, _sucks_, which I think is a result of her being high-strung, short-tempered and impulsive_._ Unfortunately, those aspects of her personality make it hard for someone like you to call her out on it, much less tell her that we don't need her as a gunner anymore."

"Why don't we talk to her together?" Miho said, causing Hisa to nod.

Miho and Hisa proceeded to the student council office, where Momo and Anzu were watching Yuzu file away some paperwork.

"Momo, do you have a minute?" Hisa said. "Miho and I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What do you want, Nishizumi?" Momo K. said in her typical stand-offish and contemptuous tone. While Miho was her superior as tankery team commander, at times, Momo still treated her like just another constituent, and an underclassman, at that.

"Kawashima-senpai, I'd like to talk to you about your gunning," Miho said. "Hisa-senpai and I have been reviewing the team's records, looking for areas in which we can improve, and..."

Miho glanced to Hisa, hoping she would say something, but Hisa merely nodded to prompt Miho to continue.

"Well, Nishizumi?" Momo K. said impatiently, already knowing what Miho wanted to say.

Miho cleared her throat. It was too late for her to back down now without making things worse. Clearly Momo K. understood what the problem was, and if she did not, Anzu and Yuzu did.

"And so, I was thinking that it might be better for the team if… someone else was gunner," Miho said.

Momo K. frowned. She was not surprised, but was not convinced Miho fully grasped Turtle Team and the Student Council's methods for division of labor.

"Yeah, and just _who_ do you have in mind?" Momo K. said. "We're crewing this tank with a crew of three, so we're already stretched thin. So which of the other two would you have man the gun instead? Yuzu? She's driving, so she can't multitask, even if we end up sticking her with all the grunt work for the student council. The president? Good luck getting her to help out outside of an emergency."

"Yes, the president" Miho said, almost reflexively. "It would go the longest way in increasing our chances of victory."

Anzu gave off a slightly amused sigh at how easily Miho had volunteered her.

"Sounds like a hassle," Anzu said.

"You always say that, President," Hisa said. "Still, you've never been one to walk away or slack off when the going gets tough… especially not now."

After a brief pause, Anzu nodded.

"All right, I'll do it," Anzu said. "Kawashima, you OK with loading?"

"I can do that if you insist," Momo K. said.

"All right, that takes care of everything," Hisa said. "Let's go, Miho."

"Thank you for understanding," Miho said, before taking her leave.

As Miho and Hisa walked out of the student council office, Miho turned to Hisa.

"Why did you remain silent for most of the conversation, Hisa-senpai?" Miho said. "You might have been helpful when the time came to convince the PR rep to acquiesce."

"The point was to get you to tell her yourself," Hisa said. "You're the commander, so you should be giving orders to me, rather than the other way around."

Miho found Hisa's logic difficult to contest, although she was not fully convinced.

"Still, I don't feel as though I changed their minds," Miho said. "They didn't agree until you spoke up and impressed upon them the importance of doing so."

"The student council's like that," Hisa said. "Like Momo said, we tend to let Yuzu do a lot of the grunt work, as well as our class reps, the disciplinary committee and the people outside the student council. But when times are desperate, we get our act together, and bring the results we need. It's a bit unconventional, and people not familiar with us might question why we do things this way, but we're able to make it work."

Miho smiled and nodded.

"That's a bit like the tankery team," Miho said.

"And, of course, you spoke up, which is what counts," Hisa said. "People are starting to take notice of and respect your ability, Miho; I hope you're one of those people who has, as well."

"I will," Miho said, before getting ready to part ways with Hisa.

"Oh, and one more thing," Hisa said. "You might have heard this before, but Yasuko called me recently, and told me that BC Freedom lost to St. Gloriana. They'll be our next opponents."

"This could be difficult," Miho said. "BC Freedom defeated us, and now we have to face someone who defeated them, an opponent with a good record in the past tournaments."

"That's how it typically goes," Hisa said. "Most of the weak teams get taken out in the first round of any tournament. But since the stronger schools are limited in terms of how many tanks they can brink, they won't show any quarter to weaker ones. We defeated Anzio at the strongest it could manage in the first round, so if we rise to the occasion, we should be able to pull through in the next round."

* * *

_Elsewhere_

The first round match between Joghurt and Saunders swiftly reached its conclusion, as the two sides fought on a rocky battlefield. Saunders had lost three of its tanks, but Joghurt had lost six of theirs.

"Arata!" Kay said over the radio. "Alisa's got a 'pretty good idea' on where the flag tank is," she said, giving Arata its location.

"Understood," Arata said. "I'm on my way there and am almost there."

Nodoka's old friends from the tankery club, along with Arata and Yuu, drove near the exit of a canyon.

"That must be the flag tank," Arata said, hearing another tank driving to the end of the canyon. "I'm not sure how Alisa knew exactly where it would be, although I hope she wasn't looking for it with her flag tank."

"Does it matter?" Shizuno said. "We take it out, and the match is ours!" She finished loading a shell. "Loading complete!"

Ako trained her sights on the T-34 as it emerged from the narrow canyon that had protected it from the shots of the Saunders tanks. She quickly fired and struck it in the side, disabling it.

"Saunders wins the match!" the announcer said.

The Saunders tanks drove back for the post-game ceremony, as did the few operational Joghurt tanks. On the way back, however, the Saunders flag tank, commanded by Alisa, made a stop in an isolated spot for what Alisa likened to retrieving the murder weapon.

"Remember, this is our little secret," Alisa said, as she stuffed the item that had helped her team win the match into an innocuous and deceptively labeled cardboard box.

Alisa's gunner rolled her eyes as she began to wonder- if Alisa thought schools like Joghurt were so far beneath them, why did she feel the need to go as far as she did?

* * *

As the tanks were loaded onto the school ship, Nanpo Kazue, commander of Joghurt's tankery crew, met with her grandmother, Shizuru.

"I'm sorry, Grandmother," Kazue said. "I was unable to uphold the honor of your style of tankery, even considering that I ended up in such a weak school- I had wondered why they would entrust a first year like myself with the commander position, but it seemed no one else was up to the task."

"The fact that you're here at a school like this is, in large part, my fault," Shizuru said. "So don't blame yourself for your circumstances."

"The tank that took down my team's flag tank seemed promising for a relative newcomer," Kazue said. "And somehow… no matter what I tried, they knew where I was going to go."

"Few would have thought that you could use that detour through the canyon," Shizuru said. "The enemy seems quite capable... or perhaps they had some 'help.'"

"If you understand that much, Grandmother, perhaps you could have prevailed," Kazue said. "I'm still not anywhere near your level yet."

"You have a long time ahead of you, Kazue, and many more chances to try again," Shizuru said. "All you can do is make the most of what you have at your disposal."

Kazue reflected on how a team that could only field seven tanks, many of which were quite unimpressive by any standard, had supposedly defeated the somewhat well-known Anzio Academy. Could this dark horse school accomplish the same feat against Saunders? Only time would tell.

But Kazue reasoned that if a no-name school like Oarai could win against steep odds, there was no reason why she could not manage the same.

"Thank you for the kind words, Grandmother," Kazue said. "I promise you, you will not come to regret your faith in me."

* * *

After the match, Harue gave her congratulations to the entire team, then went specifically to Ako and her team- both because they were responsible for taking down the flag tank, and because they were her students.

"Good work, girls," Harue said.

"I'm actually surprised," Ako said. "I didn't think that we'd hold up this well compared to the others on Saunders' regular team."

"You do have a fair amount of practice and experience," Harue said. "Some people don't get started in tankery until high school, meaning that the first years are essentially newbies, and the second- and third-years might not have as much as people who have done it since.

"Our time with you has paid off, Akado-san," Kuro said, "as has our reading, studying and practicing until the day when we could compete together again. We're now one step closer to our goal."

The girls smiled and nodded. After a moment, Shizuno paused and sighed contemplatively.

"Say… aren't we going to look up how Nodoka's doing?" Shizuno said. "To see if her school made it through?"

"I'd rather not find out," Ako said. "If we found out that her school got knocked out, we might just end up losing all our resolve to continue. We'd be of no use to the others, who have their own reasons for wanting to win, if that happened."

Shizuno nodded in agreement, conceding that their plan to see Nodoka again was not only dependent on their success, but also that of Nodoka and her team. Their efforts would help them with the former, but with regards to the latter, they could only hope for the best.

As the girls of the former tankery club changed the subject, Harue's mind remained on Nodoka. As Nodoka was her former student, she had a connection to her much like the other girls did, but unlike them, she could no longer choose to be ignorant of Nodoka's status in the tournament, given that her duty was to prepare Saunders for whatever opponent they faced.

Harue had watched the rest of the matchups between the relatively obscure teams on television, in hopes of analyzing the other teams' styles of play and tactics. As a result, she had seen that Maginot Girls College had defeated Waffle Academy, that Koala Forest had triumphed over Viking Marine School, Blue Division had defeated Continuance, and Oarai had defeated Anzio. With the information at her disposal, she could prepare her team for what lay ahead, and hoped Nodoka's commander and instructor would do the same.

"_No need to worry about that for the moment, girls,_" Harue thought. _"Nodoka made it past the first round. However, she may not be as lucky next round, given that her opponent's significantly stronger and more skilled than Anzio."_

* * *

Inside St. Gloriana's commander's office, which resembled a room in an upscale British-style home, Darjeeling approached the commander's desk. The desk was neat and professional, but had a few touches of elegance associated with the ladylike students of St. Gloriana, as shown by the tea pot on it.

Fukuji Mihoko sat at the desk, wearing the St. Gloriana uniform- a white dress shirt with a black necktie and skirt, a blue slipover sweater- along with black pantyhose and shoes. She glanced at the similarly dressed Darjeeling as she approached through her left eye, which was a light red- in most circumstances, her right eye remained closed.

"Commander, I have the information you requested," Darjeeling said. She was one of the top tankers in the school, and had been considered as a candidate for commander. But while the decision was a relatively difficult one, the winning candidate was chosen based on experience, results while at the school, and demonstrated leadership; the latter was especially important after the departure of Ceylon, Mihoko's utterly despised predecessor as commander. Darjeeling gracefully accepted the result, and was most pleased when the commander asked her to become her vice-captain.

"Thank you very much for printing out these records for me, Darjeeling-san," Mihoko said as she read over the printouts.

One joke that Assam, a third-year, occasionally made was that the "real" reason behind tankery only allowing tanks from World War II was that Mihoko would be unable to operate any newer technology. Despite that opinion, though, Assam had the utmost respect for Mihoko as a commander.

"This name looks familiar…" Mihoko said.

"Miyanaga Saki-san or Nishizumi Miho-san?" Darjeeling said. "Both share the same family name as high-ranking members of Black Forest."

"Both, but there's one other, whose given name sounds familiar," Mihoko said. "I am aware of people sharing each other's names without any relationship, but I have to wonder if this is more than a coincidence."

"Have you heard this saying?" Darjeeling said, " 'Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.'"

* * *

_Meanwhile at Oarai_

"So these are all the people who made it to the next round," Nodoka said. "Nishizumi-senpai and Takei-senpai realize that what we have now isn't up to the job of defeating them, so we will have to improve our tanks, as well as the girls who crew them."

Saki merely paused and nodded.

"Saki-san?" Nodoka said as she noticed Saki's lack of response. But, to Nodoka's surprise, she saw a smile crossing Saki's face. Did she not realize that to face her sister, she would have to win the next round and the one after that?

"I'm excited," Saki said. "There seem like a lot of strong people out there in tankery- I'd like to play them all, or at least, as many as I can."

Nodoka smiled. Saki was finally taking an interest in tankery.

"_The road ahead to our goal may be long and difficult,"_ Nodoka thought. _"But in spite of that, and no matter how things end, I am glad I am able to walk it, and am most glad of all that you're walking it with me, Saki-san."_

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows.

EXpertUS: Teru does have a few humanizing moments, such as when she appears concerned after Toki collapses. You may see a few of them later on.

I've always been somewhat sympathetic to Yuri, especially since her disowning Hana comes off as more of an emotional overreaction than something she coldly and ruthlessly planned in advance. At the very least, she seems to care for Hana, and is certainly a far cry from Shiho.

Shizuru Nanpo is a gender-flipped version of Kazue Nanpo's grandfather from Saki. If you don't know who Kazue is, she's one of the stronger opponents Saki has to face in the Nagano individual tournament (meaning she only appears in the anime). Kazue comes off as somewhat arrogant in not liking the group tournament due to having to rely on "weak" teammates, but her dialogue with her grandfather indicates that she's motivated by family honor rather than self-aggrandizement, making her a rare case of a "Stop Having Fun Girl" with a sympathetically portrayed motivation.

Here's a fun fact; Nonna is 172 cm tall (5 feet 7 inches), while Toyone is 197 cm(**6 feet**, 5 inches) tall.

This chapter is dedicated to the memory of all those individuals and teams who get eliminated in the first round of their respective story's tournament. From red-shirts like Chihatan and Bosporu to otherwise promising contenders like Saunders (from canon), and Anzio, your efforts against the protagonists, main antagonists and those who fall to both of them have not gone unnoticed.

With so many teams eliminated, you may be getting some sense of who might become Oarai's opponents in the future, as well as some of the characters who will show up more later.

On a side note, Saki: The Nationals ended recently. I was hoping the anime would shed light on a certain subject (which I won't discuss here, since it would probably provide a major spoiler for this fic), but it was fairly enjoyable. I'm looking forward to the next season, whenever it comes out.

Edited to fix an error with number agreement.


	14. Interlude 3: Miho

**Interlude 3: Miho  
**

_The morning after Miho's return from the hospital visit_

Miho was woken up in the morning by the sound of her alarm clock beeping. While not nearly as bad on this regard as Mako, Miho still took a while to wake up, and fell back on instinctive behavior. She quickly and reflexively moved to make he bed and change into her uniform, lest someone take her to task for dawdling. But as she pulled on the white sailor fuku, green skirt and black neckerchief that comprised the uniform of Oarai, Miho realized that she was in a very different place.

"Ah, yes, I'm not at home anymore," she said. Years of instinctive behaviors and daily habits did not fully go away after mere weeks at a new school.

After taking a moment to wake up and glance at the clock, she realized that she was, in fact, running late. Tardiness was not dealt with as harshly in Oarai as it was in Black Forest, or among her family, but Miho had no desire to contend with an angry Sodoko in the morning.

As she left her apartment and locked the door, Miho checked her watch. According to it and her own calculations, she would be on time, or not late enough for it to be counted on her record if she ran the entire way.

But as she ran, Miho saw Mako R., slowly shuffling her way toward school. It was just like how she had first met Mako R., and just like back then, Miho could not abandon her friend when she seemed unlikely to make it to school by herself.

"Mako-san?" Miho said.

"Morning Mi…ho…" Mako R. mumbled, before stifling a yawn.

"Here, let me help you," Miho said, offering Mako her shoulder for support.

"Sorry to make you do this," Mako R. said, as she accepted Miho's assistance.

"It's alright, Mako-san," Miho said. "You must be tired after yesterday."

"Saori must have told you, right?" Mako R. said. "About what the two of us talked about."

"She did," Miho said. "I appreciate your concern for me, Mako-san. But even if I'm by myself at Oarai, I'm happier here."

Miho reached the gates and saw the third year who was head of the disciplinary committee, a girl with her blue hair in a bob haircut, taking attendance. Her name was Sono Midoriko, but she was "Sodoko" to her friends, as well as to Mako R. Since the bell had rang, she was counting tardies, and would soon go inside and mark anyone who had not gotten there yet as absent.

"You're late _yet_ _again_, Reizei-san," Sodoko said. "And Nishizumi-san, it seems as though you have chosen not to heed my advice regarding leaving Reizei-san behind when she's late."

"I can't just leave _anyone_ behind like that," Miho said. "Especially not a friend of mine."

"Suit yourself," Sodoko said. "But you know what they say- give a girl a fish, you'll feed her for a day, teach a girl how to fish, and you'll feed her for the rest of her life. If you get Reizei-san to start coming on time, you won't have to be late for her sake."

"Easier said than done, Sodoko," Mako R. said.

Miho remained silent. She agreed with Sodoko's point, but also could not contest Mako R.'s assertion that it was not exactly easy to get her to come to school on time every day.

"And you seem to be ignoring my telling you to call me by name, Reizei-san!" Sodoko said. "My name's Sono Midoriko!"

Miho and Mako R. walked in through the front door, leaving Sodoko behind. Inside the building, they encountered Saori.

"Morning, Mako, Miporin," Saori said. "Did you run into Sodoko again?"

"Yeah," Mako R. said.

"We did," Miho said. "She thinks I should just focus on getting to school on time myself, rather than helping Mako-san."

"You know, I also think Mako should get up earlier and get to school on time," Saori said. "But I think Sodoko's still obnoxiously overzealous in her enforcement of the rules- this is a school, not a prison."

"Now that I think about it…" Miho said, "I think Sodoko-san would be right at home in Black Forest. It's quite strict, and while she might come off as overbearing here, over there, she would be seen as doing her job."

Saori nodded.

"You know, Miporin, I don't think you ever told us about Black Forest before," Saori said. "We've got to get to class, but I'd like to hear about it some time.

"So do I," Mako R. said. "If Sodoko's normal over there, it has to be quite something."

"Certainly," Miho said. "I'll tell the two of you and the others more about it at lunch."

Mako R. excused herself to go to her class, while Miho and Saori went to theirs.

* * *

At lunch, Miho was joined not only by Saori and Mako, but also Hana and Yukari, as all five ate together on top of the Panzer IV.

"So, Miho-san, Saori-san tells us that you would like to tell us about Black Forest," Hana said. "Is that true?"

"It is," Miho said. "Are you also interested in hearing about it, Hana-san?"

Hana nodded.

"Yes; there is one thing I am especially curious about," Hana said. "You seemed to dislike tankery at first, but were formerly in a school renowned for its winning team- as vice-captain, no less."

Miho paused to consider what to say in response to Hana's assessment of her. It was obvious to her that she would have to clarify a few things first.

"Now that I think about it, my disliking tankery is not the whole truth," Miho said. "There was a time when I disliked tankery, but also a time when I enjoyed it. I suppose I should start at the beginning, though. I always did tankery, because it was expected of me, as a Nishizumi."

"Not unlike how I originally did flower arranging," Hana said.

"Still, it was interesting enough for a kid, although I'm not sure whether it was because I didn't know much else," Miho continued. "But the problem was that when I started elementary school, almost no one else was interested in it, so I had little in common with the others my age."

"I had the same problem, Nishizumi-dono," Yukari said. "I think my parents told you about it, which is why my dad found it such a big deal someone came over."

"Have either of you possibly considered that it may not be your subject as much as the intensity with which you pursue it?" Mako R. said.

"You do have a point, Mako-san," Miho said. "The Nishizumis are aware of- no, pride themselves on- the fact that they go farther than most people."

"That's true, Nishizumi-dono," Yukari said. "And to be honest, Reizei-dono, I thought I was focused on tanks more than most people, but it seems I'm not quite up to the level of some of the tankers who have been doing it for years. I wouldn't call myself that obsessed; people like the rest of the Nishizumis might consider me an obsessed hobbyist rather than a true tanker."

"The same went for me, to some extent, Yukari-san," Miho said. "But I did eventually find friends that were interested in tankery. Yusa Chihiro-chan was a tomboyish athlete who cared a lot for the rest of us, and was a good gunner for a beginner. Yuzumoto Hitomi-chan was a good loader, and while she wasn't originally the type to commit to things for long, the last I heard of her, she's doing tankery for her school. Nakasuga Emi-chan was blunt and outspoken, but she also believed in getting people to confront their problems, and knew a lot about tanks and how to drive them."

"So your friends weren't necessarily veterans or experienced tankers," Saori said. "Might it be that they're closer to our level?"

"That's exactly right, Saori-san," Miho said. "Chihiro-chan was more into sports, but liked doing tanks with her friends, having tried and failed to get Hitomi-chan interested in her sport. She'd fit right in on Duck Team, even though she played soccer rather than volleyball. And it was because of her and the others that I saw that it was possible to do tankery for fun."

"You had some interesting friends, Nishizumi-dono," Yukari said. She smiled, pleased to hear this, but the smile faded as she realized Miho's word choice- all of her description of her friends had been in the past tense. "But wait, you said that you 'had' them…Where are they now?"

"We were together for a summer, near the end of elementary school," Miho said. "Emi-chan had to leave and return home to Germany. Chihiro-chan, Hitomi-chan and I hung out together, but we didn't do tankery, lacking a driver with whom we could do it. After we graduated from elementary school, we went our separate ways. Chihiro-chan went on to a sports school- she was the sort who mainly did tankery because her friends did. Hitomi-chan went to another school and did tankery. And I followed my sister into Bismarck Middle School."

"What was that middle school like?" Saori said. "Was it like Black Forest?"

"Not quite," Miho said. "It had a winning record when my sister and I were there, but most of us weren't as into tankery as those in Black Forest. I served as vice-captain for all three years, first under my sister, then under her successor as commander."

"But, if I recall correctly, your school won that tournament two years ago, right, Nishizumi-dono?" Yukari said. "You must have played a large part in that victory, even as vice-captain."

"We did win," Miho said, "but we had a good commander and quite a few skilled members on the team that year. I felt as though I didn't do all that much."

_"Don't sell yourself short, Nishizumi-dono,"_ Yukari thought. She was considering saying that out loud, but due to a combination of feeling as though it would be pointless to argue this matter with Miho, and wanting to hear more of Miho's story, she remained silent.

"I came to Black Forest after I graduated from middle school," Miho said. "In my first year, I was appointed vice-captain; appointments for vice-captain, as well as one's successor as commander, are chosen by the commander and approved by the coach. Miyanaga Teru-san was the other vice-captain, and I met her around this time."

The rest of Anglerfish Team listened intently. They had heard about Teru already, but wanted to hear more about Miho's old school and former teammates, to see how they compared to her new ones.

* * *

_Last year_

Miho stood in Black Forest's tankery hangar, wearing the school's tankery uniform- a dark jacket, a red collared shirt and a black skirt-, while waiting for Maho to introduce her to the rest of the team.

"Good to see you here, Miho," Maho said, as she arrived. "Now that your appointment as vice-captain has been finalized, I'd like to introduce you to some people. You'll meet with our tanks' commanders, but first, you should meet your fellow vice-captain."

Maho gestured toward a red-headed girl in the same uniform.

"Miho, this is my Miyanaga Teru, who, like me, is a second-year. Teru, this is my younger sister Miho, a first-year."

"Nice to meet you," Miho and Teru said as they exchanged bows. Their greetings were similar, but the tone was different- Miho's tone was warm and friendly, while Teru's was flat and professional.

"Miyanaga-san…" Miho said. "That name sounds familiar. I think I saw it once in the tournament roster, two years ago. Do you, by any chance, have any siblings or cousins?"

"No, I don't," Teru said, clearly hoping to end the conversation before it started.

"Now that I think about it, you're correct, Miho," Maho said. "When Teru and I were in our third year of middle school, before we came to Black Forest together, our schools were in the same tournament, although we never actually faced each other. Teru is quite talented, and had made it to the semi-finals before, but due to… unforeseen circumstances, her team was eliminated."

Teru winced.

"The Commander told me good things about you, Miho; I look forward to working together with you," she said to Miho, before departing.

Maho then led Miho to a nearby Jagdpanther. The commander, Kuroko, was inspecting the vehicle along with her crew.

"How are things here, Kuroko?" Maho said.

"Fairly good, Commander," Kuroko said, while saluting.

Miho immediately noticed the girl's formality in her greeting.

"I'd like to introduce my new vice-captain, my younger sister Miho," Maho said. "She will be working alongside Teru."

"It's nice to meet you," Miho said. "Please tell me if you have any problems."

"Pleased to meet you, Vice-captain," Kuroko said.

The conversation was entirely business, and the process repeated for each of the tanks. The tour Maho gave Miho of the Black Forest tankery team served its purpose well, giving Miho an idea of what to expect.

* * *

_Present Day_

"Do they really make you salute your superiors at Black Forest?" Saori said. In spite of her inexperience with tanks, she realized that Oarai was a far cry from Black Forest in terms of discipline, experience and expectations of professionalism, but wondered if Black Forest was virtually run on military discipline.

"I asked my sister about it," Miho said. "She said it's not really required, just something the girls do to show respect. Additionally, I think most of the girls weren't doing it entirely correctly."

Yukari nodded.

"I once gave the instructor a salute," Yukari said. "She said I had the right idea, but my upper arm wasn't in the right position and my legs weren't close enough together to be at attention. She said 'Not bad for a civilian, Cadet Akiyama,'."

Miho thought back to how those she did not know as well referred to her at Oarai. Some called her "Commander," but most her age or older called her "Nishizumi-san," the first years typically called her "Nishizumi-senpai," and a few of those who were less polite to her, albeit not necessarily unfriendly, referred to her as "Nishizumi", foregoing honorifics.

"Well, there is a significant difference between professionals and amateurs," Miho said. "There's even a large one between middle schoolers and high schoolers; our team now could probably defeat my team in middle school. But while it is often good to be on a strong team, it's not always fun."

* * *

_Last year, several weeks after Miho became vice-captain._

"So, Miho, how are you finding Black Forest?" Maho said when she approached Miho after tankery practice one day.

Miho sighed. She was often reluctant to share her troubles with those closest to her, but found it difficult to hide things from her own sister.

"Not entirely well," Miho said. "It feels a bit lonely here."

"How so?" Maho said.

"I'm surrounded by people who do tankery, but most of them seem so distant, from each other and from me, focusing only on perfecting themselves and winning," Miho said. "Even Teru-san, with whom I often work as vice-captain, doesn't seem to talk much with me about subjects besides tankery."

"_Even_ Teru?" Maho said skeptically. "From what I noticed, she's not necessarily indicative of the others; she's one of the more aloof members; she's only close to her long-time friend, Sumire. But you're not wrong, Miho. "

"I can't help but wonder…" Miho said. "Is it because I became vice-captain? Some people look up to me, while others aspire to overtake me. It seems hardly anyone besides you, Onee-chan, see me as anything close to an equal."

"That seems to be a reasonable guess," Maho said. "Relatively few people talk to me unless they have business with me, and said business is often trying to curry favor with me."

"You seem used to this by now, Onee-chan," Miho said. "You've always seemed like a person who would be much more resilient against feelings of isolation and loneliness than I am, or at the very least, much more determined, which is why you always seemed better suited to succeed Mother."

"I'm only human, and have the same needs and feelings as you and everyone else," Maho said. "To be honest, Miho, while Black Forest might not be your favorite school, I'm glad to have you around. And I think there are others here who feel the same way."

"Really?" Miho said.

"When we held a birthday party for Sumire, she said that you did a good job of making it seem a bit more lively," Maho said. "It was a modest occasion, as Sumire wanted it, but I enjoyed myself there, and so did Sumire. Even Teru enjoyed herself; she liked the cake that you brought and cut."

Miho was somewhat surprised that someone as seemingly stoic as Sumire would enjoy herself.

Perhaps there was more to her teammates than met the eye, and they, as conscious of their image as Maho was, merely hid such traits. Miho decided that if that was true, then she would start trying to get to know some of her teammates better.

* * *

After a routine tankery practice session, Miho made her rounds around her teammates, hoping to talk with them about any concerns or problems they would have. She spoke with the commander of the Jagdpanther, who told her that her falling out of formation was due to losing a track in the middle of the battle.

Miho then went to Akaboshi Koume, one of the lower-ranking members of the regular team. Her crew's rank in the overall Black Forest tankery team meant that she was part of the team, but she would only be fielded when the headcount allowed it- it typically only did in the finals- or if they felt as though she could use the practice.

Over the course of a few minutes, Miho managed to get Koume to tell her about some of the difficulties she had been having. It initially started out with Koume merely speaking in response to Miho's questions, but as they continued talking, Koume responded more naturally as Miho responded with her own observations and questions, and it soon became a normal conversation.

"Thank you so much, Vice-captain," Koume said, as Miho provided her the answers she sought.

"You're welcome, Akeboshi-san," Miho said. "I'm always glad to help out my teammates like this."

"Not many of the higher-ranking officers or the coach do," Koume said. "They're often hard to approach, being somewhat intimidating at distant at best."

"My sister's just not used to talking with others casually," Miho said. "I'm sure if you asked her for help, she'd lend you her ear."

Koume's eyes widened in slight surprise at Miho not addressing her commander by her title.

"I'll consider it, Vice-captain," Koume said. "But you're quite helpful and friendly, so I also like talking to you."

"Oh, and…" Miho said, "my sister said I don't have to call her 'Commander,'; she thinks of me as her sister first and foremost, and is not a stickler for etiquette. You don't have to call me by my rank, either- why not by my first name?"

Koume was surprised, but nodded.

"Thank you so much for your help, Miho-san," Koume said.

"It was my pleasure, Koume-san," Miho said, as she walked off to see if anyone else needed help.

* * *

_Present day_

"So not everyone at Black Forest- that is, people besides you, Miporin- is all uptight?" Saori said.

"That's true, but it's understandable that you would think of most of them as 'uptight,' Saori-san," Miho said. "Most of the tank commanders of Black Forest, as well as the team commanders and vice captains, are the relatively more ambitious and driven individuals, and they tend to put the same expectations on their subordinate that they place on themselves."

"So that vice-captain is not just a hardass with everyone else, but also with herself?" Mako R. said.

"You could stand to be a little bit more of one with yourself, Mako," Saori said.

"Your assessment is correct, Mako-san," Miho said. "But, of course, there's a fair amount of pressure from an even higher source than the commander- Coach Kubo Takako."

Yukari gasped, immediately recognizing the name. Miho was not the only famous person in tankery Maho knew about, only the one she respected most. And not all of the people who stood out in Yukari's mind were memorable in _good_ ways.

"You were coached by _her_, Nishizumi-dono?" Yukari said. "I've heard some disturbing rumors about her methods of disciplining her students."

Miho nodded.

"Those rumors are largely true," Miho said. "Perhaps some are exaggerated, but even those are based on fact."

"And to think our instructor, an actual JGSDF officer, is laid back by comparison," Saori said.

"Black Forest trains hard, with intense focus on staying in formation and shooting accurately while stopped," Miho said. "We're taught to stick to our plans, rather than act on our own. We're given our responsibilities, and if we do not live up to them, the coach comes down hard. She's also more... hands-on than someone like our instructor; most of my sister's decisions regarding the team and training have to be approved by the coach. Of course, most schools have their coaches involved in supervising training and choosing people for positions on the team."

"That certainly seems involved," Mako R. said. "And to be honest, I have to wonder if even Black Forest is fine with that."

"That's a good point, Mako-san," Miho said. "The rest of Black Forest didn't always find the coach easy to deal with."

* * *

_Meanwhile at Black Forest_

Around the same time Team Anglerfish was discussing Miho's past at Oarai, Teru and her subordinates were also discussing the events of the past year at Black Forest.

The conversation had been sparked by an inquiry from Oohoshi Awai, a first-year and Teru's driver, over why their coach seemed less than completely pleased with their seemingly flawless victory over Chihatan, sternly warning the not to get complacent.

"I don't get it," Awai said. "We crushed Chihatan in practically no time at all. Even if they're weak, what does the coach want? To crush them in no time?"

"She doesn't want us to get complacent," Sumire said. "People have their own interpretations over what happened last year, but the coach believes that if all of us were doing better, we would have won before finding ourselves in _that situation._"

"So that explains why there were some changes to the team; some graduated, but others were benched or left on their own volition," Shibuya Takami, a brown-haired, bespectacled second year said, between sips of tea. "I was only able to become a radio operator on the main team this year."

Matano Seiko, a second year who was somewhat boyish-looking- she had green hair and preferred to wear bicycle shorts rather than a skirt to tankery- nodded, finding herself in much a similar situation.

"I can't help but feel nervous," Seiko said. "I owe my position as loader to some vacancies at the end of last year, and if I slip up, I'll probably get replaced." Upon seeing Awai's unconcerned expression, Seiko turned to her. "You shouldn't slack off, either, Oohoshi, especially considering that you're just a first-year; there aren't that many of your year-mates on the team this year."

"I don't really have anything to worry about," Awai said. "You might be in second year, but if you count in terms of my ability, I'm in year 100!"

Takami calmly sipped her tea before responding. As she was not only Awai's crewmate in Teru's tank, but also a childhood friend, she felt free to rein in her friend whenever her ego got out of control.

"Your skill as a driver is considerable, Awai-chan," Takami said. "But the coach demands nothing less than perfection from all of us, and is quite harsh when she does not get it."

"Not even the commander and vice captains are exempt from this scrutiny," Teru said. "And when someone makes a mistake, the coach notices and responds accordingly."

* * *

_Last year, after the first round of the tournament._

After the first round of the tournament, as the Black Forest school ship sailed out into the open sea, Miho came across Takako speaking with some of her teammates near the port side of the ship. Miho heard the coach's voice, loud and angry but indistinct, the sound of which was punctuated by a slap.

Miho ran up to them, and saw the gunner on her knees, holding her cheek. She immediately recognized them as a crew of the Jagdtiger that had deployed during the match.

"You think you can just half-ass in a tournament round?" Takako said. "Your missing the Joghurt flag tank could easily have cost us the match if not for everyone else coming in to take care of your screw-up!"

"Please stop, Coach!" Miho said. "We won this round!'

"They missed the flag tank, Miho!" Takako said, turning to Miho with a glare. "Their failure to hit it bought Joghurt valuable time, time that any school worth their salt could have used to win."

"Their gunner's accuracy is among the best in our school," Miho said, "and they performed well in the initial ambush. I don't think anyone could have hit a target at that range; my sister conceded that she did not expect them to hit."

Takako's icy glare continued, as Miho realized her argument had fallen flat, failing to convince Takako. Miho felt as though if this were a tank battle, she had fired a shot that failed to pierce Takako's tank's frontal armor, while it stood ready to counterattack with greater force.

"If you keep on coddling them, the performance of the team in general, and their performance in particular, will suffer," Takako said. "I'm sure your mother would agree with me."

Miho could not help but nod at Takako's claim regarding Shiho's perspective; she knew her mother's opinion on this matter very well, as well as the fact that she would back Takako up if asked. If Miho tried to claim that her methods would not be detrimental to the team, Takako would respond by citing her superior experience.

Evidently satisfied with having made her point, the coach began walking off.

"Think this over," Takako said to the crew she had berated. "Unless you do significantly better, I will speak with the commander about demoting you to the bench."

As the coach left, an awkward silence followed. But once the coach was out of earshot, the gunner broke down in tears and turned to Miho.

"Vice-captain, thank you for speaking up for me," the gunner said, tears running down her eyes.

Miho accepted the thanks, but inwardly felt as though she did not deserve it. She had made the decision to stand up to the coach, but could not stand against her arguments. It was like one time years ago, when Miho asked whether Maho was expected to take advantage of any and all opportunities to win, even an enemy trying to save a teammate- Shiho had said yes, and that Miho was foolish for even asking.

Miho had to wonder- in the eyes of people like the coach and her mother, were her principles nothing more than hindrances that merely held one back? And what could she do to convince them otherwise, now that words had failed?

* * *

Miho walked and eventually encountered Maho near the school.

"Miho, is something wrong?" Maho said.

"Onee-chan…" Miho said. "The coach just struck the Jagdtiger's gunner in the face for not hitting the flag tank."

"Again?" Maho said. "This is not the first such incident, although it seems rare that people actually come forward, given that nothing has come of my attempts to report this to the coach's superiors. As far as I know, we are the only two to be spared her wrath, and she doesn't do it while I'm watching."

"It seems so cruel," Miho said, "to punish people who are trying their best, even when we win."

"Black Forest is desperate to keep up its winning streak," Maho said. "It's commonly believed that if they falter, their image will suffer."

Miho listened to Maho's statement, and realized that Maho had not even once referred to herself in the course of it.

"Is losing really such a bad thing, Onee-chan?" Miho said. "And if we did, what exactly would happen?"

Maho sighed, not prepared for Miho's question.

"I…I haven't thought of the answer, Miho," she said. "For my part, I've always just thought of winning as something I've been expected to do, without thinking of it as something to do for my school. And as for you..." Maho trailed off. "I personally hope my reasons don't become your reasons as well, and that you don't end up thinking of tankery as something you have to do."

Miho pondered what Maho said. This was what she wanted to do, but wondered whether she could.

"That's... a bit hard, with people like the coach and Mother," Miho said. "But I'll do what I can."

"In any case," Maho said, "You can head back and relax for now. I will talk with Mother about this latest incident. Perhaps the coach will listen to her old teacher, or at least consider what Mother has to say."

"Thank you, Onee-chan," Miho said, slightly relieved. She appreciated her sister's offer, but did not hold out much hope of it yielding results.

* * *

After Maho relayed the incident to Shiho, Shiho called Takako.

"Hello, this is Kubo," Takako said.

"Coach Kubo, this is Nishizumi Shiho,"

"Yes, ma'am?" Takako said

"I have heard more reports of your disciplining students through corporeal punishment," Shiho said. "And while you are not directly following my orders, and I understand what you are trying to accomplish, I cannot approve of your methods."

Takako briefly considered asking who told Shiho, but assumed that it was one of her instructor's daughters- Miho seemed more likely to object, while Maho was more likely to get Shiho to listen to her.

"Please elaborate, Instructor," Takako said skeptically, but as respectfully as she could manage in spite of her disagreement with her former teacher.

"Enforcing hard discipline is to a degree, necessary," Shiho said. "But not only are some methods better and more appropriate than others, there are some times when pushing the students too hard is no better than mere bullying. Furthermore, there are some students who simply will not improve, even when threatened with punishment- you should not waste your effort on them when you have many more who are willing to learn."

"With due respect, Instructor," Takako began, "I discipline them harshly out of a belief that they can do better- they would not be on the team if my commander and I did not think they had skill. And just as you inspired me to push myself farther, I hope to do the same for them."

Shiho paused.

"Very well," Shiho said. "I may not agree with you on this, but I no longer have the authority to order you around. Just remember; people are looking to Black Forest as a symbol of strength in tankery. You cannot afford to have any weak links; the team should only consist of people who have the _ability_ to live up to our standards, not people who merely have the _potential_. As always, success is your responsibility as coach, and your duty as a Nishizumi disciple."

"Yes, ma'am," Takako said.

"I will talk to you more another time, Coach," Shiho said. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Instructor," Takako said.

Takako was as hard on herself as she was on her students, never compromising in her quest to better herself. She believed Shiho had taught her well, and her standards, while strict, had driven her to excel; Takako believed that softer approaches to teaching students tankery only enabled their flaws and weaknesses, instead of forcing them to develop. But was giving up on students any different than coddling them? How many of Shiho's students had been cast aside before realizing their full potential?

Takako resolved to make her students into true tankers, through high standards and harsh discipline. Some would call her a tyrant or a bully, but she would never allow herself to be seen as someone who gave up on others.

* * *

_Present day, Oarai  
_

"My mother later told me about the conversation between her and the coach," Miho said. "I didn't say anything to her at the time, but I didn't think it was appropriate to brutally discipline the students or just cast them aside if they didn't live up to expectations."

"I'm with you 100 percent on that, Miporin," Saori said. "Rabbit Team's been going to me for advice, often about their love lives, or lack thereof. I've heard that getting or keeping their boyfriends was a large part of the reason they got involved in tankery. Of course, it didn't quite live up to their expectations at the time, but they persisted and are getting better at it."

"The blind leading the blind, huh?" Mako R. said.

"Well yes, they are a bit like me in that regard," Saori said. "But they're also similar in the reasons why they got involved in tankery. They kind of thought that it seemed interesting, and it would help them get guys. I think they wouldn't do well at Black Forest, from what I heard."

"That's correct, Saori-san," Miho said. "Assuming that they did not get scared away from applying for the team out of how intense it seems, they would not have made it onto the team; there's intense competition for spots on the regular team. Like Hisa-senpai said, if they had done something like fleeing their tank in the middle of a battle, they would likely have been ejected from the team, and might never have improved."

"Yeah, it sounds like a bother," Mako said. "I know I wouldn't have gone for it, unless my advancing on to the next year was on the line."

"How is that different from why you're doing tankery now?" Saori said.

"Well, the school seems to be full of people with enormous egos and sticks where the sun don't shine," Mako R. said. "The only exceptions seem to be Miho, who left, and her sister- but judging by her stuck-up lackey's complaining, such acts of charity don't seem normal around there."

Mako R. inwardly acknowledged that Erika had flown her to get to the hospital, but knew that she only did so because Maho had ordered her to do so. As such, Mako R. thanked Erika for the help, but was not terribly bothered when she did not get a "You're welcome" out of Erika.

"From what you have told us and what we saw when she helped Mako out, your sister seems to be a kind person at heart, Miho-san," Hana said. "So I am curious about the others at Black Forest,including the ones I have not yet met."

"There are many ambitious people around Black Forest," Miho said. "As a result, there are usually several candidates for the positions of captain and vice-captain. The girl you mentioned- Itsumi Erika-san- and I were two candidates for the position, and I was the one who got it."

"Is it possible that Itsumi-san is jealous of you, Miho-san?" Hana said.

"She seems that way, to some extent," Miho said. "But Erika-san has a measure of respect for those she knows are better than she is, otherwise she'd be more jealous of my sister and Teru-san, whom she acknowledges as better commanders than she is. I think she was waiting for me to prove myself just like they did."

* * *

_Last Year, before the semifinals  
_

After a strategy meeting, Itsumi Erika walked up to Miho to speak with her. At the meeting, Miho had been hesitant to speak up, only doing so at Maho's urging. Her suggestion for the match was well-received, but Miho still felt anxious about speaking out.

"Vice-captain, permission to speak freely?" Erika said.

"Granted," Miho said.

"Vice-captain, you have, in your first year at Black Forest, achieved a position that most will never reach, and almost no one has ever reached as early as you do. To be perfectly honest, I was someone who applied for the position, and after being turned down, was surprised to lose it to a first year. It's a tremendous responsibility, but the commander would not have chosen you and the coach would not have approved you if they did not think you were up to the job. So now, the only thing left to do is prove that you are up to the job."

Miho realized how significant the gesture was for Erika. Erika was arrogant, but she had a certain respect for those she knew were better than she was, even if it took a great deal for her to recognize them as such.

Miho smiled slightly, as her burden had been lightened. Her mother expected a winning record from her, and she had so far succeeded, even in the previous year without her sister. Perhaps if she thought of things this way, being second in command of a team with a decade-long winning streak was no longer as intimidating a responsibility as it first seemed.

* * *

_Present day, Oarai  
_

"That's the sort of place Black Forest is," Miho said. "They work well as a team, and have achieved many victories in the past, but there's little sense of camaraderie, at least compared to us." Miho paused a moment, almost taken aback by how bluntly she had described the atmosphere there. "Although…" she began, "I did have comrades there, not just my sister. And while I felt as though I couldn't stay there given how so many people reacted to the decision I made, that decision was made for the sake of those very comrades."

Miho then noticed Hisa and her crew approaching them as they sat on the tank.

"Mind if we join you?" Hisa said as she and the rest of her team walked in.

"Certainly, go ahead," Miho said, and the others sat down near her.

"Um, Miho-senpai?" Saki said. "I couldn't help but overhear that you mentioned Black Forest earlier- the place where you went to school last year, and where your sister and mine still attend school."

"You are correct that I did, Saki-san," Miho said, making a mental note to tell Saki the whole story later. "I was just telling everyone else about my time there," Miho said. "As I said, my leaving wasn't entirely voluntary- I felt as though I had no choice but to leave after the last tournament, but now that I look back on it, for the most part, I'm happier here, even if I have recently realized that my time there was not as unpleasant as I remembered."

"Ah yes, that!" Yukari said. "I remember what happened at the tournament last year, Nishizumi-dono, even before it was brought up at the end of the last match, or you did it again just now."

Miho sighed, but could not help but smile.

"Then I suppose there's no harm in telling you the entire story," Miho said.

* * *

_Meanwhile, at Black Forest_

Black Forest's discussion of the school's newfound drive toward victory eventually reached the event that had changed everything.

"There's also how the former vice-captain got kicked off the team over what happened in the finals last year, how she ended the team's winning streak," Seiko said.

"That's not true," Teru said. "I'm not aware of everything that happened, but as far as I know, Miho left of her own volition."

"But might it be possible that she felt pressured to leave?" Takami said. "Most of what happened apparently was behind closed doors."

Teru shrugged.

"I didn't hear the particulars, either, even though i was the other vice-captain," Teru said. "But there was a great deal of vocal outcry from the team."

_"Still talking about the opinions of others on this matter without mentioning your own, Teru?"_ Sumire thought.

"I watched the tournament on TV," Awai said, "and we seemed to be winning, until the accident happened."

* * *

_The last tournament_

Miho, in command of the flag tank, had her tank, accompanied by two others, go down a narrow path at the base of a cliff. Pravda's assault was coming down hard on her position, and while Pravda's flag tank was within reach, the cliff path seemed to be a way for her to evade the main force and buy time for the others to defeat Pravda's flag tank.

But a few Pravda tanks waited on the path ahead, firing on the Black Forest tanks. The shots fell to earth and kicked up clouds of smoke. Miho realized that it would be a difficult fight, but it would be possible to defeat the Pravda tanks and advance.

But then Miho watched in horror as the tank that was the vanguard of her squad slid down the rocky bank and plunged into the river below.

Miho had been with Black Forest long enough to understand their school's greatest weakness. While they were adept at moving in formation and well disciplined, able to carry out complicated strategies, once those plans were thrown into disarray, they were left helpless. Maho had hoped to counteract this tendency, but Takako had shot down several of her proposals for changing the training curriculum, reminding her that she had to think about whether such ideas were in line with the Nishizumi doctrine, and doubting that they were as reliable in achieving victory.

Now, as one of the flag tank's group was essentially useless, their plan was no longer effective regardless of what Miho did next.

"Wait right here!" Miho said. "I'm going to save them!"

Miho climbed out of her tank, tumbled down the bank, and dove into the water. She could still see the sinking Tiger tank's turret above the water- it was all the easier to locate it, and there was still time to save the crew.

Miho dove under the water and forced open the hatch. The hatch opened surprisingly easily, and Miho understood the significance; the tank was now full of water, a steel prison where the girls would drown if they were not helped.

As the hatch was pulled open, Koume and the three other girls of the crew swam through desperately holding their breaths. Miho helped them along, getting them to the surface.

"Miho-san!" Koume called out the moment she caught her breath. "Thank you, you saved us! But where's the flag tank?"

Koume's voice was shaking with fear, but not for herself, now that she was once again breathing.

"_If anything's happened to the flag tank, Miho-san will be blamed," _Koume thought. _"She shouldn't have to suffer because of our mistakes."_

But the white flag was up on the tank. Pravda had managed to win.

* * *

Miho met with Maho after the post-game ceremonies to discuss what had happened. Maho remained unsurprised, having heard about most of what had happened over the radio, and having expected Miho to act as she did if she ever encountered such a situation.

"…I see," Maho said, as Miho told her what had happened after the match.

"I'm sorry, Onee-chan," Miho said. "You vouched for me as a good vice-captain and now this happened."

"No, I know that you would have done something like this in this situation, especially after you heard of the time when I did what the girl from Pravda- I believe her name was Katyusha- did here," Maho said. "It's unfortunate that relatively few people realize this or sympathize."

* * *

Elsewhere, unbeknownst to Miho, Masae had also heard of the news, and was discussing it with her daughters and niece. She had seen everything from the stands, and had called Hiroe to inform her after the match had ended, before meeting with her daughters in person to discuss it in more detail.

"So the tank commander that fired on the flag tank had no way of knowing that Miho had gone to save the tank that had plummeted into the water?" Masae said, adjusting her glasses.

"It seems to be that way, Mom," Hiroe said. A brief pause ensued. "You know, Mom, I didn't want to win this way. And I talked with the commander of that tank- Katyusha, one of my best commanders- and she felt the same way."

"I know how you feel, Hiroe," Masae said. "It's obviously frustrating to feel as though you didn't earn your victory after having tried for years to win the tournament."

"I think I'm starting to understand how my opponents felt in the middle school tournament two years ago, the round before they lost to us; there are times when winning can be no more satisfying than losing," Hiroe said, her face turning sympathetic before shifting to a determined grin. "But even so, I'd rather not be placed in the same league as them- in terms of skill or the will to win. I'm not going to let this get me down. I'm going to beat all comers, including Black Forest, next year, and this time, nobody's going to question the outcome. Are you with me, Hiroko, Kinue?"

"You can count on me, Onee-chan," Kinue said. "I'll do my best to make the team for next year." Kinue was in her first year at Pravda, but was unable to get a spot on the regular team.

"I will do my part as well," Hiroko said. "I'll analyze our enemy's data off the battlefield, and blow them away on it!" A twisted smile went across the typically placid Hiroko's face, that of a warrior who relished combat and the chance to prove herself against her enemies.

"Well said, girls," Masae said. "Defeat and disappointment serve their purposes as well as victory and fulfilling one's goals. But while this victory may not be the one we had wanted, any defeat is unacceptable to the Nishizumis. I hope this will result in them reconsidering their stance."

* * *

A few days after the finals, Miho sat in the Nishizumi family's traditional upper class Japansese home's living room, facing her mother and Maho, who sat at the other end of a small table; Miho had been summoned home to give an explanation for her actions at the tournament. Shiho had seen everything, and there was no possibility of fooling her, or of Maho claiming responsibility.

"I had feared this would happen," Shiho said. "You were always skilled at tankery, Miho but you were also too focused on what was in front of you, never truly grasping the importance of remaining true to principles or setting an example for others. Do you not realize how many people are affected by your actions? Do you not realize how hard everyone, including the tank that fell into the water, worked for the common goal of achieving victory?"

"My teammates were counting on me in another sense, Mother," Miho said. "Their safety came before everything else."

"You misunderstand, Miho," Shiho said. "You will carry on the Nishizumi name in the future. The Nishizumi is a school that carries on, no matter the circumstances, and so must its practitioners."

"But, Mother..." Miho began, trying to cut in.

"You cannot win without sacrifice," Shiho said, cutting Miho off. "In trying to go after the team before the rescue crew arrived, you forsook your responsibility to the others as a tank commander and vice captain, and your responsibility to the Nishizumi family as a member of the family, even if you will not inherit the school. People look to you as an example of doing tankery the Nishizumi way, and if you cannot live up to that responsibility, the repercussions are felt far and wide"

Miho realized that Shiho still saw her as an amateur, and believed that she had no accomplishments to her name that would justify her own way of doing things.

Maho remained silent. Shiho had made it clear that she, as Nishizumi heiress, had to be mindful of what she said or did, to avoid giving any indication of going against the school's position. Unfortunately for Maho, this resulted in her having to often be aloof and distant from Miho, who understood why Maho did what she did, but nevertheless found it painful.

But there was also another reason why Maho did not say anything. She knew both Miho and her mother were set in their ways. Miho, given this situation, would always have prioritized saving the tank, and her mother would have expected her to press onward.

So what would Miho do now if she had no choice but to do tankery the way her mother expected? What could Shiho do if her daughter rejected the Nishizumi way?

"In that case, Mother..." Miho said, "I'm not going to do tankery anymore. I'm going somewhere that doesn't have tankery, where our family name means nothing and I'm not expected to be anything."

"Are you saying you are giving up on tankery?" Shiho said. "This match was a fiasco, but it would not have been completely in vain if you came to understand the Nishizumi way and re-dedicated yourself to it."

"Those are both things I cannot do, Mother," Miho said firmly. "You said it yourself, did you not? That if students do not have the skill or determination to practice the Nishizumi, their teachers should not force them to improve if they lack the desire to do so?"

Shiho paused, taken aback at her own words being used against her, but unable to deny that they were true.

"So be it," Shiho said. "It seems there is no convincing you otherwise."

Miho was less than happy with the outcome. She would not have to go against her beliefs, but she had hoped that to do so, she would not have to give up tankery.

* * *

Back at school, Miho entered the commander's office slid her resignation letter across Maho's desk. Both of them knew this was going to happen, and that Miho was only following the formal procedures to make it official, but neither was happy about this.

"Very well, I accept your resignation," Maho said resignedly, having said all she wished to. "Thank you for all your work."

Takako glared at Miho.

"Is quitting the team really how you intend to make up for this?" Takako said in a stern but surprisingly calm tone.

Miho was not surprised. She knew that the coach, as a fervent disciple of the Nishizumi school, had a position similar to her mother's. If she strongly disapproved of any actions that indicated someone was less than wholeheartedly committed to victory, then surely she disapproved all the more strongly over someone she thought had cost them victory. And surely, as a Nishizumi, she believed that the coach's desire for her to stay was no greater than her desire to be there.

"With due respect, Coach," Miho said, "I thought this team made it clear that they didn't need me if I'd make decisions like this."

Takako let out a deep sigh of disappointment, believing Miho was missing the point.

"Black Forest's tankery team needs individuals who are not only skilled, which you are, but also have the determination necessary to win," she said. "Everyone has lapses in judgment or resolve at times, which should not be ignored. But if you cannot accept and come to terms with your failure, as well as learn the appropriate lessons and take steps to improve yourself, then you are correct- we do not need you on this team. But I will say that I honestly thought you were better than that, though."

Teru remained silent. She had her own opinions on the matter, but was hesitant to share them. One reason was because they were not strictly in line with the "official" stance on Miho's decision, although she was not affiliated with the Nishizumi school. Another was that if she revealed them, she would reveal a part of herself that she did not wish to show to others.

Sumire was clearly aware of Teru's true motivations for remaining silent, and turned to her, with her expression indicating her suspicions.

"Teru, aren't you going to say something about Miho?" Sumire whispered to Teru. "What she did is like…"

"No, it is _not_." Teru replied emphatically, almost loudly enough for Miho to hear her.

Sumire then fell silent, knowing that Teru would not be swayed on this, and fearing that if she said anything to Miho, she would inadvertently reveal something Teru did not want her to say.

As Miho walked away, Erika fixed her with an arrogant sneer. Perhaps Erika's first impression was right, in the end, and she was better than Miho, as well as a better fit for the vice captain position. But she had no desire to find this out after losing a tournament.

The backlash from the rest of Black Forest in the wake of Miho's resignation and transferring out was less severe than Miho feared. Maho did not say anything beyond a simple statement that Miho was resigning for personal reasons, and most at least accepted that.

But the damage had been done at the Nishizumi family meeting. To Miho, it seemed clear that her family was committed to tankery in ways that she was not and could never be. That much had always been clear, but if they expected her to do the same, it was too much for her to bear.

Miho then left the office without looking back.

* * *

_Meanwhile at Black Forest_

"That's all I heard," Teru said to the others on her crew, "and I didn't see Miho again until I saw her in the tank cafe after the tournament drawing."

"That makes sense," Seiko said. "If a single moment was so pivotal to our hopes in the tournament, it makes sense that the coach would want all of us to keep up. Perhaps any of us might be in a similar position, with the fate of our attempt at regaining the championship in hand."

"But I can't help but wonder," Takami said. "Did things necessarily have to come to that? Was it really over when the previous vice-captain jumped out of her tank? It may not be my place to comment on it, since I didn't compete in the finals. But I believe that if all of us had done better, things might not have come to that."

"Both of you are right," Teru said. "As Seiko said, moment can be one that decides the fate of the game. But as Takami said, all of us have to be on our guard. With our training, the strength of our tanks and our experience together, retaking the championship is well within our grasp."

Teru's expression, while still stoic, radiated confidence. She did not see any such thing as an insurmountable problem, provided one had the necessary resources, ability and determination. She believed she and Black Forest had no shortage of any of them, which is why they would succeed in winning the championship this year.

"_Perhaps we may have underestimated you, Oarai Academy,"_ she thought. _"But you had best not underestimate our determination. We also have reasons to win, and we will be victorious this time."_

* * *

_Before the school year began_

Kikuyo, a woman in her late twenties, with short dark hair who was wearing a green kimono, examined the mail. As one of the Nishizumi family maids, one of her chores was to bring in the mail and deliver it to the intended recipients. When Kikuyo saw the mail was addressed to Miho, she knew the person to whom she would need to deliver it. And when she saw that it was from Oarai Academy, she understood that Miho would especially want to see it.

"Miho-sama, I have mail for you," Kikuyo said as she knocked on Miho's door while she was lost in thought. "This letter is from Oarai Academy."

"Thank you, Kikuyo-san," Miho said.

Kikuyo produced a letter opener from the pouch of her kimono and opened the letter.

"To Nishizumi Miho-sama," she said, reading aloud. "We are pleased to announce that your transfer to Oarai has been approved for the following academic year. There's more, but that's the most important part."

"That's good to hear," Miho said. "It's a bit late to sign up for a tour, but I looked at it online and it seems like a nice place."

"Are you certain about your decision, Miho-sama?" Kikuyo said, concerned. Miho often confided in Kikuyo regarding matters she did not feel comfortable discussing with her mother, so Kikuyo became worried when Miho had decided to go leave Black Forest for Oarai Academy without consulting her.

"I said it before, Kikuyo-san," Miho said. "If Mother expects me to forsake my comrades for victory, I can't do tankery any longer. And if I remained at Black Forest, I would be haunted by this incident."

"I meant, your decision to choose Oarai," Kikuyo said. "It does not have tankery, but what else does it have? Will it be a good fit for you?"

Miho sighed, conceding Kikuyo's point.

"I'm not as sure yet, although it seems reasonable enough," Miho said. "And if it doesn't work out, I'll go somewhere else for my third year."

Miho said this with the realization that Oarai might not live up to her expectations, modest as they were. But she also said it with the hopes that it would work out this time, and that she would find a school that was suited to her.

* * *

_Shortly after Miho's transfer_

Miho sat in her classroom, gathering her things as she was about to go to lunch. She had gotten what she wanted at Oarai- the chance to start over without facing her tankery past. And yet, she had left everything else behind at Black Forest- her friends, her sister, the school she had gone to for an entire year, and tankery. But some of those she had considered her friends had turned on her or remained silent when her decision was called into question. Her sister was similarly forced to not publicly oppose the Nishizumi ideology or the "official" line.

And while she was good at tankery, she didn't feel as though she was ever quite "good enough" for her mother. Most importantly of all, if she was forced to choose victory over saving her comrades, was tankery fun at all?

But even if Black Forest was behind her, and she believed leaving it behind was the right decision, she still had yet to re-establish herself at Oarai.

In the hall, Saori and Hana stopped.

"Hey Hana, have you noticed the transfer student?" Saori said. Hana nodded.

"It appears Nishizumi-san is going to eat lunch by herself again," Hana said. "It seems she has not yet found anyone with whom she can eat lunch."

"Why not have her eat with us?" Saori said.

"Are you sure, Saori-san?" Hana said. "She seemed somewhat reserved, so I hope we do not come off as overbearing."

"It's worth a shot," Saori said casually, before sticking her head into the room and calling out. "Hey, girl, want to have lunch with us?"

Once her initial surprise wore off, Miho recognized Saori's offer for what it was- an earnest offer to include a relative stranger to a social group, to make her feel at home.

Perhaps she was no longer as much of an outsider at Oarai. Perhaps Oarai was more than a last resort to avoid tankery, but a place she could grow to like.

* * *

_Present day  
_

"…and that's when I first met you, Saori-san, Hana-san," Miho said, concluding her story as she turned to Saori and Hana.

"And then, shortly afterward the student council decided to make you join?" Saori said.

"That's correct," Miho said. "They may have started trying out trying to intimidate me, but I'm glad they invited me."

"That's good to hear," Hisa said. "As I said earlier, my original plan in calling you down was just to have a talk with you, without trying to threaten you with expulsion like the president and Momo did. I'm glad you came around _willingly_, and that you became commander."

"And you wanted me to join you, even though you knew about my decision last year?" Miho said.

"I did," Hisa said. "It may sound somewhat corny, but we wanted a commander who was not only good at what she did, but also considered the welfare of those under her command. We're bringing tankery back for the sake of Oarai Academy as a whole, and while it's meant for _everyone's_ good, we'd rather not see _anyone_ get left behind or sacrificed."

"I'm glad to hear that," Miho said. "I think Anchovy-san said something similar, that winning is a commander's responsibility to the team, which is why she took it so hard when she lost, and saw my throwing away victory to protect my teammates as sacrificing the needs of the group for those of a few individuals. But I don't think you necessarily have to sacrifice your comrades to win; I'd like to become a commander who can win for the sake of her teammates, without endangering them for that pursuit."

"That's a good goal," Hisa said. "And I- no, _we_- are willing to do what we can to help support you."

The rest of the group nodded in approval.

"Miho-senpai," Saki said. "I'm quite amazed at what you accomplished. Not just choosing to save the lives of those in the tank over winning the tournament, but being _able_ to do so. I'm not really able to swim, so I can't really imagine how hard it would be to rush down the bank, dive into the water, swim to the tank and save everyone while a tank battle raged around you. Everyone in that tank survived because of what you did, Miho-senpai; you should be proud."

"All I did was pry open the hatch," Miho said. "Once it was open, for the most part, the girls escaped the tank and swam to safety mostly on their own. I think of my being commander as doing something similar- simply enabling those under my command to realize their full potential."

Miho looked at Saki as her shoulders slumped and her eyes looked downcast. She wondered if she had inadvertently sent Saki into a depression again, by unknowingly bringing up a difficult subject.

"Saki-san?" Miho said. "Is something the matter?"

"No, it's nothing, Miho-senpai," Saki said.

Having told the same sort of lie many times to her friends, Miho clearly recognized it when she heard it. But she lacked the information to deduce what Saki was hiding, and so did not realize why Saki was lying. She, however, knew that whatever the reason was, it was something that should be left well enough alone until Saki was ready to say it.

"So the rest of you have done tankery before, right?" Saori said, and the five girls nodded. "Have you met any really good boys through it?"

"I can't say I have," Hisa said.

"Nah," Mako S. said.

"No…djey," Yuuki K. said with a sigh.

"No, I have never been interested in boys…" Nodoka said.

"I haven't meat any boys through tankery," Saki said, "But I know a boy, Suga Kyoutaro, who's been my friend since middle school. He's just a friend, though."

"Is he hot?" Saori said.

"He's somewhat good-looking," Saki said, "Although I do suspect that someone like Nodoka-chan would be more his type, though."

"I…I'm afraid your friend may be disappointed then, Saki-san," Nodoka said.

"That makes two of us, djey…" Yuuki K. said.

Saori let off a sigh, partly in disappointment but mainly in relief, as she had succeeded in changing the subject, and the one for whose sake she changed it was actively participating.

Miho smiled as she resumed lunch with her friends, talking about everyday things. She knew Oarai was not likely able to win the tournament, as it did not have many strong tanks, experienced tankers, or enough of both to field a full team. But while her sister was no longer in the same school or team as her, nor were those she had befriended, she had many friends. Miho felt at home at Oarai, and she hoped to remain there for as long as she could.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

As always, reviews, favorites and follows are appreciated.

I cut down most of the pre-Black Forest part to second hand narration, to avoid overlapping with Little Army, and because Saori's initial query was about Black Forest- a part of Miho's past I wanted to show in more detail.

I consider Miho a bit of an unreliable expositor when it comes to her skill at and love of tankery. In the former, she claims to be a bad driver when Hana is knocked out in the canon practice battle, but in Little Army, has some skill at driving (she also doubts whether she can command, and you can already see where this is going). In the latter, she says in the anime that she never liked tankery before, but Little Army shows her enjoying it with her friends. Her lack of confidence in her skills can be said to be a result of her mother's high expectations, and her belief that tankery was not enjoyable is the result of remembering the difficult times and losing sight of the good ones (which I believe applies to an extent regarding her year at Black Forest).

Black Forest being serious is touched upon in the eighth chapter of "Motto Love Love Sakusen Desu," where everyone is having trouble with the idea of a holiday party. I also believed that Black Forest would be stricter than Oarai, and suspect that the coach takes a more active role compared to the commander, which might be why Black Forest is drilled in how to go in formation, but can't react well under pressure. While Maho seems to be a shrewd commander, I suspect that if she's forced to be distant from her own sister as part of her status as the Nishizumi heiress, it makes sense that her mother would be equally strict on how she does tankery.

Kubo can be a difficult character to write, since most portrayals of her either tone down her rather harsh methods of discipline (it should be noted that the Kazekoshi team adores Mihoko in large part because she protects them from the coach), or play up her cruelty (note that when Kana ends the prefectural finals in fourth place, having fallen to 0 points for a little while Kubo doesn't actually hit her). It's worth noting that she has some overly harsh methods that don't always work well, and might get her fired in real life, but she does so out of a belief that her students can improve, and a desire to see them do so. Whether they will improve as a result is another matter, but I suspect that she'd be, above all else, disappointed that Miho is giving up on tankery.

As such, I decided to contrast Kubo and Shiho, to show that there are limits to how far Shiho will go (she's arguably emotionally abusive toward Miho, but isn't physically abusive toward her daughters or students), and to show why Kubo does what she does.

Some of the minor Black Forest characters can be interesting exceptions to the typical stereotype of them as being, like Erika, arrogant and focused on victory. From Shiraitodai, we have Awai (who _is_ arrogant, but is also fairly cheerful), Seiko (who's less than overconfident, as she admits after losing badly in her semifinals match), Takami (who's slightly introverted and reserved), Sumire(who's a bit cold but not arrogant) and Teru(who's fighting for her own reasons). There's also a similar amount of diversity among the Nishizumi school, which is shown in Kubo's disagreement with Shiho, and which you will see more of later.

As such, various Black Forest characters will have different opinions on what happened in the finals of the previous tournament, which don't always boil down to "Miho's a hero" or "Miho cost us the tournament", as you can see in the discussion among Teru's crew. As for Teru herself, she has personal reasons for being hesitant to disclose her opinion on what happened, as you will see more of later.

Regarding the dissolution of Miho's team from Little Army, when I was originally writing "Off the Path," before Chapter 8 of Little Army was translated, I had planned on making the event more depressing than it turned out to be in canon; after Emi leaves for Germany, Miho, Chihiro and Hitomi try to find a new driver, but Chihiro's mother, who was mentioned as being quite strict, no longer lets her do tankery. Hitomi hangs in there for as long as she can, but she and Miho ultimately give up. But then I saw Chapter 8, in which Miho and her friends went their separate ways without any hard feelings or feeling sad about it, and decided to go with it.

I decided to call Chihiro's sport "soccer" rather than "football" to avoid confusion. The same will go for Kinue later in this fic.

This chapter is quite possibly the longest single chapter I've ever submitted, and the first chapter that's over 10,000 words long.

The next chapter will deal with Oarai's preparations for the later rounds of the tournament.


	15. Room for Improvement

**Chapter 11: Room For Improvement  
**

Although Oarai had won its first round, there was still a great deal of work to be done before they could progress in the tournament.

Most of the team still had a long way to go before they could perform effectively. Some team members needed help doing their roles. Others needed help getting adjusted to their machines. Still others had personal problems, such as the tanks having an ill effect on their love lives.

Of course, even if the team members became more effectively, the team would likely need additional resources to advance- more and better tanks, parts that could upgrade their existing tanks, and additional crew members, preferably those with experience.

The team largely turned to Miho for the answers, as she had proven herself in the past, but while she understood their problems, she found herself stretched thin. Hisa volunteered to help where she could, but the demands were too much for one or even two people to handle. So their crewmatess pitched in, with even the otherwise lazy Mako R., helping out, in areas that suited their expertise.

* * *

Nodoka walked around the tankery garage, giving other teams pointers about how to crew their tanks. Miho had heard that Nodoka had once been a commander when Nodoka had told her the story of her participation in tankery in the past, and realized that she could potentially tutor the other commanders or fill in for Hisa if necessary.

Nodoka was surprised by the rate at which some of the members were learning their positions. She had thought to send Saki over to help some of the gunners' accuracy improve, but was surprised when Hana ended up teaching Saki some lessons on how to concentrate while aiming. As a result, Nodoka felt the need to ask Hana about how she had become so skilled, as well as another unanswered question she had.

"Have you truly never done tankery before, Isuzu-senpai?" Nodoka said, impressed by Hana's accuracy as a gunner.

"Not at all," Hana said. "Not only did Oarai not have it last year, but my family has never approved of it."

"Yes, I know," Nodoka said.

Hana merely nodded in response, understanding how Nodoka knew, and allowing her to make the next move.

"Isuzu-senpai… I also wanted to apologize for eavesdropping earlier," Nodoka said. "I inadvertently heard that you were having some trouble with your family, and… it hit somewhat close to home for me."

"If I may ask, in what sense, Haramura-san?" Hana said.

Nodoka took a deep breath, as she prepared to tell Hana.

"My father also does not approve of tankery," Nodoka said. "The situation has not deteriorated to the point at which he would disown me, but he has made his disapproval very clear, as well as his desire for me to go somewhere I will never be able to do tankery."

"Has your father always been this way, Haramura-san?" Hana said.

"As far as I can tell, yes," Nodoka said. "I've often had to move to accommodate him and my mother moving because of their jobs, but this is the first time he has tried to dictate my choices regarding my education independent of having to move... and the first time I tried to negotiate a compromise."

"I understand," Hana said. "My mother has also always opposed tankery, but I've never heard her get as angry as she did when she found out about my doing tankery. I had never expected to see that side of her, but I suppose she never expected me to do tankery."

"This may sound like a stupid question, Isuzu-senpai," Nodoka said, causing Hana to reflexively shake her head in response, "but are you certain about your mother?"

"I am," Hana said. "She is usually a kind and loving woman. I imagine she's shocked at this development, and doesn't know what to do with me. That's why she isn't talking with me; she can't think of anything that she can say that would work on me."

"My father's almost completely the opposite- he has always been stern and emotionally distant," Nodoka said. "He defines success in measurable and concrete ways- such as a well-paying or prestigious careers, and he doesn't place much on things that aren't quantifiable, like sentimental value. As such, he doesn't think much of the practical value of friendship, and he certainly wouldn't take flower arranging very seriously."

"My mother would disagree with a few of your father's points and arguments," Hana said. "Not only was she glad to hear about my making friends, she considers the Isuzu school of flower arranging her responsibility, just like it was her mother's before her. We teach many students this art, and carry on a tradition that has existed for generations. To her, my decision must seem to be an abdication of that responsibility. The task I am faced with is convincing her that I still intend to succeed her and carry on my responsibility, but wish to revitalize my interest so that i can do so well."

"Now that I think about it," Nodoka said, "my father has never actually named any specific responsibility he wants me to uphold or position that he wants me to fulfill. He's a defense attorney and my mother is a prosecutor, but they only talk about me getting a 'good' job- evidently a white-collar one that you can only get by graduating from a good university, but I'm unsure about what else."

"In that case, might it not be possible that he merely wants what is best for you, Haramura-san?" Hana said.

"I believe so," Nodoka said. "I don't doubt that he wants me to be successful, but I do have to wonder if he's ever considered that this would make me happy, or that my disagreement with him is not on the goal of becoming successful in the future, but whether his way is the only feasible way for me to succeed." Nodoka paused. "And another thing, Isuzu-senpai... your doing tankery only became an issue after the match with Anzio didn't it?"

"Yes," Hana said.

"As I said, I've disagreed with my father about doing tankery since fifth grade," Nodoka said. "And yet, only now have I ever thought to try to convince him otherwise. I have no idea how this is going to play out, though."

"To be blunt, waiting that long wasn't really a good idea," Mako R. said, making her presence known to Hana and Nodoka.

"Reizei-senpai?" Nodoka said. "How long have you been here?"

"I finished up talking with Duck Team about how to drive the Type 89, so I wanted to talk with you two and see if anyone else needed some advice," Mako R. said. "It looks like I just found some people who do need advice, just not for tankery."

"Yes," Nodoka said. "It's the first time I've encountered people who have similar problems as I did, and are openly willing to discuss them."

"Well, my folks, while they were alive, never said I _couldn't_ do anything like that, even if they never really 'got' tankery," Mako R. said. "They had high expectations for me, but I think they put them that high out of a belief that I could meet them if I tried. I didn't realize that until it was too late, though. And it's only now that I've started to realize that apart from that, they were quite open-minded as far as parents go."

Nodoka solemnly nodded. Her father was not one to give praise freely, least of all over tankery. But was it possible that, as Mako R. said, his standards for her were nothing more than ones that he believed she could meet?

Nodoka realized that her father's points were worth considering. But she also believed that he might not necessarily know where her talents, much less her interests, lay. And if certain pursuits, tankery among them, were not considered worthy ones for Nodoka to invest her time and talents, then her father would push her toward the best fit among the rest, even if it was not a good fit.

Perhaps, even after all this thinking, she was back to square one, trying to convince her father that she was not merely wasting her time. But in any case, Nodoka found it easier to reason with and debate with her father with this new perspective on his goals for her.

"In any case, neither of you should waste any time sorting out your issues," Mako R. said. "And I think you know why I'm saying this, Hana."

Hana nodded, while Nodoka looked confused.

"What do you mean, Reizei-senpai?" Nodoka said.

"Saori told Miho and the others this, so I'll tell you, too," Mako R. said. "My parents died in an accident when I was young, and before they died, I had an argument with my mother. That day, I was going to apologize when they got home... but they never did." Mako R. turned to Hana. "How many days has it been since your last phone conversation with your mother, Hana?"

Hana, knowing the point behind Mako R. asking the question, decided not to answer. Mako R. then turned to Nodoka.

"And Haramura-san, when did you last speak with your parents, and, if I may ask, what did you talk about?" Mako R. said.

"It was the day after the match with Anzio," Nodoka said. "The call was brief, telling me that my victory in the first round proved little, and that he also expected me to keep my grades up."

"Anything else?" Mako R said.

"No, that's all," Nodoka said. Her expression briefly showed her surprise, then turned sad as she grasped Mako R.'s point.

"So, both of you understand what I'm getting at," Mako R. said. "There's little I wouldn't give to be able to undo my mistake back then. But if I can't do that, I'll have to settle for helping others avoid making the same mistake."

"I appreciate your concern and your advice, Reizei-senpai," Nodoka said. "But this has been a problem that has been going on for years; if there was an easy solution to make my father approve of tankery, he would already be seeing things my way. And I doubt that Isuzu-senpai's mother will simply call her out of the blue to apologize after what happened, nor will she change her mind today or in the near future."

Hana nodded, concurring with Nodoka.

"It won't be an easy or short task for either of you to get your parents to come around," Mako R. said. "But if they're any good as parents, they'll come to realize that disagreements of this nature are of little importance in the grand scheme of things. Until they do, the only thing you can do is be the better person and not say or do anything you'll regret."

"Thank you very much, Mako-san," Hana said.

A few minutes later, Yuzu arrived and briefly spoke with Hana. Hana then turned back to Mako R. and Nodoka.

"Please excuse me," Hana said. "Koyama-senpai needs my help with sorting some papers."

"Certainly," Nodoka said. "I was just about to get a lesson in driving from Reizei-senpai and find out how she learned so quickly."

"I only looked at the manual," Mako R. said. "But I could take a look at how you are behind the controls, and see how you're doing. You do seem to be better than most of the others, though, Haramura-san."

"Still, I feel as though I can improve further," Nodoka said, "and I'd appreciate any help you could give me on that, Reizei-senpai."

"We all have room for improvement, and all need to get better," Mako R. said. "Troublesome as it may be, I realize that I have to do the same."

* * *

In the student council office, Yuzu and Hana sifted through the papers they had been assigned to sort, putting each into its proper place. Since Hana was less familiar with the sorting method, Yuzu told her to simply make piles based on the type of paper, and she would put them into their proper places. Hana noticed that Yuzu, even while accepting help, was taking on the lion's share of the work, before realizing that Yuzu seemed to always be the one who was assigned do tasks like these.

"You seem to do many of the chores and, for lack of a better term, 'grunt work,' Koyama-senpai." Hana said. "Does this not seem unfair?"

"Some would say that it is," Yuzu said noncommittally. "Of course, many clubs have the first-years do the chores for the group."

"Because the first-years would have to pay their dues? Because they're less experienced?" Hana said. "Interestingly enough, many of the second- and third-years on the tankery team are neophytes, and Miyanaga-san, Haramura-san and Kataoka-san are some of the more experienced members, despite being first-years."

Yuzu nodded.

"As for the Student Council," Yuzu said, "the president is a skilled planner, and able to coordinate others well. I had considered running for president, but I don't have her talent for leadership and organization, so I instead signed on as her vice-president."

"Your assessment seems to be correct," Hana said. "Now that I think about it, while the president has not played much of an active role in our efforts, she has helped with organizing certain things, such as getting the automobile club to help get our tanks ready to operate. Perhaps if there are more tanks or other equipment hidden on this ship, she can help us find them."

Hana looked through the documents, and found a recurring theme. Each of the tanks had a number on it, which matched the ones she had noticed earlier.

"Koyama-senpai," Hana said. "I've found a set of documents that seem to relate to our tanks, and don't fit into any of the other piles."

"I'd like to take a look at them, Isuzu-san," Yuzu said.

"The tanks here are numbered 1 through 10..." Hana said. "Seven of them are the ones that we already found, and all the others, apart from the ten here, seem to have been recorded as sold. Could that mean that... three tanks remain in the school ship?"

"I'll talk to the president and Momo-chan," Yuzu said. "It looks like we'll have to get another search going."

* * *

Anzu sat behind her desk, with Hisa and Momo standing at her side, and Yuzu, Miho and Hana standing on the other side.

"Good work, you two," Anzu said to Hana and Yuzu after hearing their report. "Nishizumi-chan and I were discussing about how we might need to upgrade our tanks, and Takei mentioned that idea before."

"You still do not know where we could find these tanks?" Hana said.

"Unfortunately, no," Hisa said. "From what I can gather, most of them were sold, and the ones that weren't were simply discarded and forgotten about. I got lucky finding mine through some information I was able to dig up, and it's thanks to your and the others' efforts that we found enough to supply everyone with tanks. I had wondered if the seven we found were the only ones left, but knowing that there might be more out there is enough cause to call for another search."

"What will we do with the tank when we find it?" Hana said.

"I'll discuss that with Miho," Hisa said. "Having it around would be quite helpful, but it may not be feasible to use it at this point, especially if we don't have a crew that can use it."

* * *

Some search parties looked around the ship for new tanks. One group, which included Duck and Sparrow Teams, as well as Mako R., searched a group of abandoned club buildings, which had fallen into disrepair.

"Why are we searching here, Kajiki-senpai?" Taeko said.

"I asked all of the search parties where they had been, and plotted out where they had gone on the map of the ship," Yumi said. "Only two teams set foot in this area- Hisa knew where to look to find a tank, and Rabbit Team was surprisingly lucky and found a tank somewhat quickly here."

"Lucky?" Akebi said. "Karina-chan, one of my friends and classmates, said it took a long time for Rabbit Team to find a tank."

"I meant that, in this maze of run-down clubhouses and disused storage areas, they found one without having to go through all of them," Yumi said, "not that it was the only place they had to look. And thanks to them, other places have been crossed off our list."

The group entered a run-down clubhouse and looked around inside. Practically everything that was in usable condition and not nailed down had been taken. This was one of several clubhouses that they had entered so far, and as they went into each, they became less and less hopeful of any being more fruitful than the ones before it.

Momo T. looked out the window, wondering if, like people often did with her, there was something hidden in plain sight, ignored and forgotten about. Upon merely a glance, she noticed something odd about the clothesline, and quickly realized where it came from.

"Senpai! Over there~su!" she said.

"That's a new gun barrel, used for drying laundry, of all things," Yumi said. "Good find, Momo."

"One girl's trash is another girl's treasure, I suppose," Mutsuki said. "Hardly anyone except a tankery club would have use for a gun barrel like that- and probably, only a few tanks can use that. But there are lots of ways that we can use a long and sturdy object of that shape."

"I kinda wish our mahjong equipment was useful for stuff like that," Satomi joked.

"So, who else is searching~su?" Momo T. said.

"Turtle Team, along with Guderian- I mean, Akiyama- found a Char B1 Bis earlier," Yumi said. "It's not great; we went against one of those in the match with BC Freedom and took it out, but it's better than the Type 89, at least. Takebe, along with Rabbit Team, is searching below decks."

"The Type 89 might not be a great tank, but it's _our_ tank," Noriko said forcefully. "With it, we were able to get involved in tankery. And in spite of its weaknesses, we've grown used to using it, and somewhat attached to it."

"It would be a pain for the entire team to have to relearn and adjust to the new tank," Mako R. said.

"This, coming from the person who learned to drive a Panzer IV in mid-battle, Reizei?" Yumi said, somewhat amused. "You could probably teach Duck Team, though."

"It might come to that," Mako R. said gloomily. "But it's possible that the new tank will be given to a new team; Miho mentioned that we'll most likely need additional crews to get through the tournament, especially when the tank limit increases in later rounds. As such, it might be useful to have the Type 89 around for that reason alone."

"Of course, we'll still be outnumbered unless we get quite a few more tanks and people," Mutsuki said.

"We won't find the latter here, and we've searched this entire area for the former," Yumi said. "Takebe's group seems to have the most promising lead, so let's head back and hope they got lucky."

* * *

The search parties, with one exception, reconvened at the tankery garage at dusk to share their results.

"Those are some good findings," Hisa said. "We now have a new tank, and a new gun barrel for our Panzer IV."

"We will need some crew members for the Char B1 Bis," Miho said. "I don't think there's enough time to get a crew in before the battle, so I have an alternate plan for getting people to crew it. I'd like to speak with Yukari-san, Erwin-san, and Ono Aya-san, but... Ono-san, along with the rest of Rabbit Team and Saori-san aren't back yet."

Mako R.'s cell phone began ringing again. She picked it up and noticed an incoming text message from Saori.

_"That's odd... Saori doesn't often text me,"_ Mako R. thought.

Mako opened the text and her expression turned disturbed as she read it.

"Everyone, we have a problem," Mako R. said. "Saori and the others are lost down there and don't know where they are."

"I'll take a search party and head in there," Hisa said.

"Ok," Anzu said, handing Hisa a rolled up sheet. "Take this map of the ship," it might be helpful. With luck, you might find a tank as well as Takebe-chan and Rabbit Team."

Hisa nodded, knowing that while Anzu's comment about finding a tank was a joke, it might be nice if it ended up happening.

* * *

Somewhere in the dark corridors below the decks of the ship, Rabbit Team sat in a small storage room, the first-years trembling in fear and barely holding back tears as Saori tried to comfort them.

They had hoped to find a tank that the team could use, even if they would not end up being the ones using it. While the M3 Lee was not particularly strong, it was better than other tanks that Oarai had, meaning that some of the other teams were in more need of an upgrade- and if a new team joined, they would need a tank, perhaps any tank that could be found. The M3 Lee was also the only tank Oarai had that could feasibly accommodate a six-person crew like Rabbit Team, and if what Miho and Hisa had said was true, then they were unlikely to find another of the sort.

In the end, they had concluded that any tanks they found would be good for the team as a whole, even if they would not get to use them, and had committed themselves to the search just as readily as they had when searching for their own tank.

But not only had their search seemingly proven fruitless, but they had become lost in the winding corridors of the bowels of the ship. Initially, they did not realize the problem when they had no final destination, but they soon began to despair as they tried to leave.

As Saori reassured them that help was on the way, Rabbit Team hoped that help would come soon- for their sake and so that their mistake of getting lost would not take too much time away from the search for new tanks. If they had not succeeded, it was all they could hope for.

* * *

Four girls set out below decks, searching through the dimly lit corridors of the ship's interior while consulting a map, lest they risk getting lost as well.

"It's a maze down here," Hisa said as her search party of herself, Nodoka and Mako S. and Yuuki K. searched for Saori and Rabbit Team. "I'm glad we left Saki behind- I mean our Saki, not Maruyama-san."

"I understand," Nodoka said. "It's quite a coincidence, though- Rabbit Team doesn't just have another Saki, but another Yuuki as well."

A creaking sound came, causing Nodoka and Yuuki to scream.

"Nodo-chan just screamed," Yuuki U. said, amused.

"I did not!" Nodoka said.

"Going back to identical names," Mako S. said, "the other Mako's scared of ghosts, so she'd have difficulty down here as well."

"To think people actually work down here on a regular basis- people our age, even," Nodoka said.

"They're specially trained and have been doing this a long time," Hisa said. "Plus, there are adults around to supervise them."

Shortly afterward, the group opened the door, and found Saori and the Rabbit Team inside... as well as a Porsche Tiger behind them.

* * *

On the deck of the ship, near the tankery garage, Mako R. got a call on her cell phone.

"Saori and the others are safe," she said, pleased. "And I heard that Saori pretty much looked after the first-years of Rabbit Team by herself."

"It seems as though Takebe-dono's getting popular," Yukari said.

"Not quite in the way she had in mind, though," Mako R. said. "They also found a Porsche Tiger down there."

"Excellent," Momo K. said. "Let's get the Auto Club to work on the task of retrieving it.

* * *

After Rabbit Team returned to above-decks, the student council dispatched the Automobile Club to retrieve the Porsche Tiger, this time giving them detailed directions about how to reach it and get back. But getting back was not the main challenge- doing so _with the tank_ was.

"President, this is Nakajima," Nakajima, the leader of the Automobile Club, said. "We've run into a problem down here."

"What would that be?" Anzu said, putting her cell phone on speakerphone and laying it down on the desk.

"Somehow, someone fit a tank a few meters wide through a door only wide enough for people to go through single file."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Momo K. said. "How is that even possible? And how are we going to get it OUT now?"

"You ever heard of the prank in which someone disassembles a car and reassembles it somewhere the car wouldn't normally be able to go?" Anzu said.

"Yeah," Nakajima said.

"That's what you're going to need to do," Anzu said. "Think you can manage it?"

"We're on it!" Nakajima said.

* * *

Miho met with the Student Council in their office to discuss everyone's progress over the last few days, as well as the new equipment the team had acquired..

"So, Nishizumi-chan, how do our chances look?" Anzu said.

"To be honest, in spite of what we've acquired, we're still at a disadvantage," Miho said. "But I've noticed that the people at this school might not be experts in tanks, but they can work together when it counts. That's the most important thing we'll need to do, and it might just be the only advantage we have over the other schools."

"That might be true," Hisa said. "Yasuko told me that BC Freedom's team isn't as closely knit as ours, and doesn't work nearly as well together. That's part of the reason why, in our match, they took nine casualties to our seven. That might be why we made it past the first round and they did not. And this is the strength we'll have to utilize if we want to succeed where they failed, against St. Gloriana."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows.

EXpertUS:

As far as I know, Child!Ako's resemblance to Yuuki may have been intentional.

The person comparably short to Katyusha is Kurumi, who seems to be a few centimeters taller (130 cm vs. Katyusha's 127 cm)

One reason I wrote this is that some characters with similar problems (for example, Hana and Nodoka) can find insights in how to deal with their own situations in seeing how others deal with theirs. Other times, their situations will implicitly contrast with each other, as the relationships between the Nishizumi and Miyanaga sisters do with each other(and will eventually with the Atago sisters)

Nodoka, by my interpretation, has a great deal of bottled up resentment toward her father, for being emotionally distant (in his only present-day scene in the manga, the only thing he says to her in the morning), facing the possibility of switching schools again, and a belief that he doesn't understand the things she likes or the effort she is putting into becoming a success. As a result, she judges him unfavorably, possibly more than he deserves.

I decided to keep Yuzu as the workhorse of the student council, partly to reflect how Kyoutaro is in Saki (although in Hisa's defense, not only is his skill at mahjong comparable to Anteater Team's skill at tankery, he's a boy and can't enter the team tournament, so it makes some sense to have him run errands while the girls practice). I also decided to use the opportunity to discuss how the Student Council works.

I slightly cut down on the search through the lower decks to speed things up a little, although I did show Rabbit Team to emphasize their increased commitment to the tankery team, part of their character development.

The part about disassembling and reassembling the Porsche Tiger has been proposed elsewhere, as a theory on how the tank got into the room. Some even suggest that Oarai was coed once, and that what happened to the tank was an act of revenge by the departing male students.

Next up is Mihoko's Interlude, then the match with St. Gloriana.


	16. Interlude 4: Mihoko

**Interlude 4: Mihoko**

At St. Gloriana, the four crew members for Mihoko Fukuji's personal Churchill tank- Ikeda Kana, Yoshitome Miharu, Fukabori Sumiyo and Bundou Seika, respectively the loader, gunner, driver and radio operator-, stood in line together in the school's cafeteria as lunch period began.

"Where's the commander?" Bundou Seika, a girl with relatively short dark hair, said.

"She's out handling some chores for the club," Miharu, a girl with short silver hair who wore glasses, said. "She'll be coming to eat with us soon."

"I thought so," Ikeda Kana, a second-year with blue hair, said.

"I owe the Captain a great deal, for always being there for me," Kana said. "And so do the rest of you."

Kana first turned to Miharu.

"She doesn't write off people as failures, but works to inspire them to improve, and often thinks outside of the box," Kana said.

Kana then turned to Fukabori Sumiyo, a heavyset and fairly quiet girl with brown hair in a braided ponytail.

"She also recognizes that all of us, including her, are human, and make mistakes," Kana said.

Kana then turned to Seika.

"Above all else, she sees people's potential, even in places people wouldn't think to look."

"This year is the captain's last year to win a championship," Kana said. "The same goes for our commander, Assam-sama and the rest of our senpais in the third year."

The four girls took their seats, then saw Mihoko approaching with a boxed lunch.

"Captain!" Miharu said.

"Hello, ladies," Mihoko said.

"We were just talking about you," Kana said, as the group headed off to the tankery garage. "We really want to do our best to make sure that you win the tournament this year."

"It has been three years since I first arrived at St. Gloriana…" Mihoko said. "Time flies, does it not?"

Kana nodded.

"You will be graduating soon, won't you, Captain?" Seika said. She had heard Mihoko talk to her about the future of the St. Gloriana tankery team before, but found it difficult to swallow that just as she was settling into St. Gloriana, Mihoko was preparing to leave.

"That, too," Mihoko said. "But I'm also thinking about the last tournament I entered in middle school. I made it up to the semi-finals before I was defeated, but that's not what matters most. That's also when I met _her_ for the first time…"

* * *

_Three years ago, middle school tournament semifinals_

Mihoko walked forward in a daze. She had never expected her school, Queen Victoria Middle School, one of the favorites to win the championship in the national middle school tankery tournament, would be defeated in the semifinals, by Minamimoto Middle School, no-name school that had never defeated her weaker rivals in the past.

"Thank you for the match," she and Hisa said to each other, as they exchanged bows.

She realized too late that her right eye had opened, and that Hisa had gotten a good look at it before she managed to close it.

As Mihoko began to hastily leave, she noticed Hisa was not moving, having stayed behind for a parting comment.

"Oh, and…" Hisa said, "Your right eye is really pretty. It's not the same color as the left but they go together so nicely. Did you know that red rubies and blue sapphires are made of the same element?"

"N…no…" Mihoko said, turning around. "But thank you very much."

"Commander Ueno!" one of Hisa's teammates called out, running over to meet her "It's time to head back to the school ship!"

"I have to go," Hisa said to Mihoko. "Again, it was nice meeting and playing against you."

"I… I'll be certain to come see you, in the finals," Mihoko said, as Hisa started to leave.

"That would be wonderful," Hisa said, before turning and running to reach her friends.

Mihoko smiled as she experienced the second unexpected event of the day- no one had ever said that about her right eye before. There were those who had seen it and did not think of it as strange, but no one had actually called it beautiful before.

Mihoko closed her right eye before turning back to her teammates; while it was an encouraging sign that someone had approved of it, she was not ready to show it to others yet.

As soon as she got home, Mihoko checked her calendar, and saw that there was nothing on it except for the finals. She would not be going to the finals in the way she had anticipated, but she would go nevertheless.

* * *

_Present day_

"That was the first time I'd ever faced someone so strong," Mihoko said. "It was also the first time I heard anything like that about my right eye."

The St. Gloriana girls, listening to the story, nodded, and looked at Mihoko somewhat expectantly, hoping that she would open her eye for them. But Mihoko was still fairly sensitive about it, and did not open it unless no one was looking, or if she was sufficiently shocked, as she had been back then, by her defeat in that match.

"She sounds like a nice person," Seika said. "Did she end up coming here?"

"Unfortunately…" Mihoko said, "I never saw her again after that."

Seika gasped in surprise, while Kana, who had heard the story, simply nodded.

"Why? What happened?" Seika said.

Mihoko sadly shook her head.

"I still do not know," she said. "I went to the finals as I promised, but Ueno-san never showed up."

* * *

_Three years ago, tournament finals_

The next weekend, the finals commenced. Mihoko, now wearing her school uniform, a collared shirt with a red ribbon around her neck and a gray skirt, walked toward Hisa's school's encampment.

"Excuse me," Mihoko said as she approached a student who appeared to be in charge, "Is Ueno-san here? I wanted to wish her luck."

"The commander? No, she isn't," the girl said. "A few nights after our victory in the semi-finals, she called the student council office, and left a message about how she had something had come up. She hasn't been seen at school since."

"Was that all she said?" Mihoko said.

"That's what I heard," the girl said.

"I see..." Mihoko said. "Will you still be able to compete? I came here because I wanted to watch the match."

The girl shrugged.

"I guess," the girl said. "Luckily, we didn't get disqualified, because the rules let us appoint a substitute commander if the commander fails to show, but I don't see how I could lead in her stead. We have the worst possible opponent after all- Bismarck Middle School, under the command of the Nishizumi sisters."

Mihoko had to stop herself from expressing agreement with that statement. Hisa had been the strongest opponent she had ever faced in tankery, and the team would be at a disadvantage without her.

"In that case, good luck," Mihoko said.

"Thank you," the girl said. "We can only do our best in this situation, like Commander Ueno would have done if she were here."

* * *

Mihoko took her seat in the stands and watched the match. Even if the person she hoped to meet, talk with and cheer on was not able to come, she still wanted to watch the progress of the ones who had defeated her.

The match was relatively short and easily decided for the final match of a tournament. Hisa's team was doubtful, demoralized and disorganized, and was thus easily defeated. A rapid attack on their flanks forced their flag tank out of the protection of its allies, and into an ambush where Maho's tank fired upon it, disabling it and winning the match.

"Bismarck Girls' Middle School wins the tournament!" the announcer said.

"Excellent work, Miho," Maho said. Miho, in the flag tank, had managed to hide away from the enemy, which had been forced to flee from Maho's relentless assault while trying to protect their flag tank. None of the enemy had even come close to Miho, much less seen through her disguising her Tiger II as part of the landscape.

"You too, Onee-chan," Miho said. "But didn't that seem somewhat…easy? I was a bit worried when our opponents made a good showing in the semi-finals against Queen Victoria Middle School, but here, they seemed to be better when we watched the last round."

"You might be right, Miho" Maho said. "But Mother expects victory no matter the circumstances, so it's perhaps fortunate that the circumstances favored us."

* * *

At home, Miho and Maho met with their mother to discuss the match.

"Congratulations, Maho and Miho," Shiho said, speaking with her daughters after the match. "You easily defeated those upstarts."

"Thank you, Mother…" Maho said, "But something seemed off about them. They didn't have their usual commander with them. Adjusting to a sudden change in leadership can, in and of itself, be a severe handicap for a team."

"Yes, but as a Nishizumi, you are expected to succeed, no matter the situation, what hindrances you encounter, or what handicaps are placed on you," Shiho said. "Keep winning, no matter the opponent and no matter the odds."

Miho forced an appreciative smile but sighed inwardly. While she was able to win thus far, being forced to win made tankery less fun. Still, Maho encouraged her to relax, as with her planning, they would be able to win easily, thus relieving Miho of the pressure to live up to her responsibilities.

* * *

_Present day_

"No one on the Minamimoto tankery team saw Ueno-san at the finals," Mihoko said. "And then, at the end of the year, we graduated, going different paths from each other and our respective schoolmates."

"So what happened next?" Seika said.

"If I couldn't find Ueno-san at the finals, I hoped to be able to meet her in high school," Mihoko said. "The odds were slim, but I suspected that she would seek out a school with a good tankery program."

"Why did you decide to come here, Captain?" Seika said.

"My parents preferred it to Black Forest," Mihoko said. "And I agreed; I was impressed with what I saw of the school. I hoped Ueno-san might come here, or if she did not, that we would see each other again in tankery."

* * *

_Two years ago, at the start of the school year._

As Mihoko stood among the students at the orientation assembly, she looked around for Hisa. While most of the St. Gloriana girls were almost identical from the neck down while wearing the school uniform, Mihoko remembered Hisa's red hair and braids, and looked for anyone with that description.

"Excuse me, are you looking for someone?" one redhead said, as she noticed Mihoko scrutinizing her.

Mihoko paused for a moment as the redhead turned to face her, and she got a good look at her face. While she had a similar color and hairstyle, her eyes were a different color from Hisa's, she had freckles on her face, and she was wearing glasses.

"Yes," Mihoko said. "Would you happen to know an 'Ueno-san' anywhere around here?"

"No, I haven't heard of anyone with that name," the girl said..

Mihoko sighed. All she had on which base her search for the girl she had seen before was a memory of a face and a name. She, more than once, wondered if she had been imagining things or had fabricated the memory, but was sure that it had happened; Hisa had done quite well in the middle school tournament that year, and had garnered some degree of acclaim. So, then, why did no one know where she was now?

* * *

_Present day  
_

"You know, Captain, I've been thinking," Kana said, "Is it possible that Ueno-san didn't make it in? The grade requirements are fairly strict, and I only barely got in myself."

"That's a possibility, Kana, and it may be that she did not have sufficient dedication to a particular subject," Mihoko said. "To be honest, I don't really know much about her, so I can't say." Mihoko's tone turned somber as she acknowledged how little she knew about the person she wanted to meet again.

"So if you only knew what she looked like, her name and the fact that she was interested in tankery, she might be just another face in the crowd," Kana said.

"Yes, and that's why I decided to give up for the moment," Mihoko said, "Already, people were starting to give me odd looks in response to my asking around. I had something of a bad reputation in my middle school for being 'annoying' and 'overly serious', so I had no intention of having that happen again in high school."

"So where did you try next, Captain?" Kana said.

"The tankery tryouts," Mihioko said. "I looked over the first years who were applying- assuming that Ueno-san was in the same year I was, but none matched Ueno-san's description. I did, however, meet Darjeeling-san and Assam-san in the process."

* * *

_Two years ago, after the tankery team tryouts_

Mihoko scanned the posted results for the team. Her name was among those who had gotten a spot on the team, and she was pleased for that, but looking at the names of those who were approved, a few stood out.

"Darjeeling-san... Assam-san..." Mihoko murmured to herself. "Those are some interesting names."

"Yes, interesting indeed," Assam said from behind Mihoko. "Darjeeling-san has always liked tea, but to actually be named after one..."

"It's you!" Mihoko said as she whirled around and saw both Darjeeling and Assam behind her; she saw both of them at the tryouts, but did not hear their names. "I-I'm sorry."

Assam chuckled slightly.

"Don't worry, I'm in a good mood, because if you read our names off that board, then it can only mean one thing," Assam said, while scanning it out of the corner of her eye. "Darjeeling-san and I made it onto the team."

"That's correct, and so did I," Mihoko said. "My name is..."

"Fukuji Mihoko-san?" Darjeeling said. "I have heard of you before now. You did quite well in the tryouts; you ranked highest among the first-years."

"Thank you," Mihoko said. "I was looking for someone else, though, a 'Ueno-san.' She was once my opponent in the last tankery tournament, and I hoped to do tankery together with her."

"I'm sorry, I haven't heard of anyone like that," Assam said. "But maybe if we talk about her name enough, she'll just walk up behind us, like we did with you."

Mihoko could not help but laugh at Assam's comment, prompting her to smile.

_"She liked that one,"_ Assam thought. _"That's a first."_

"Yes, have you heard of this proverb?" Darjeeling said. "I can think of a relevant one for this situation regarding the devil."

" 'Speak of the devil and he shall appear?'" Mihoko said. "Why, yes, I have."

"Ah, so you have heard of that one," Darjeeling said. "Most people find my proverbs too obscure, so I'm pleased to see that someone has a good grasp of them."

"And no one seems to find my jokes funny," Assam said. "For me, that's like being a chef that can't make edible dishes." Assam barely refrained from adding _"Like Darjeeling-san."_

"The only interest we have in common is tankery, but it is pleasing to meet someone who appreciates our other talents, as well," Darjeeling said. "I look forward to working with you, Fukuji-san."

"Yes, let us work hard together," Mihoko said, as she exchanged bows with Darjeeling and Assam.

* * *

_Present day_

"I've heard about the Black Tea Garden," Seika said. "Might Darjeeling-sama and Assam-sama be members?"

"They are," Mihoko said. "I am also a member, but I prefer going by my real name, 'Captain,' or 'Commander' rather than 'Masala chai'."

"I was amazed when I found out the Captain was a member, since only some of the best tankers qualify for membership," Kana said. "But, as she just said, she was quite modest about it, as well as about getting onto the team in her first year."

"I suppose so," Mihoko said. "In part, it was because I had other things on my mind. I did feel guilty at times, though, wondering if I was seeing all this as a means to an end."

"So how successful were you in working toward your goal?" Miharu said.

Mihoko gave a slight shake of her head in response.

"After I made it onto the team, we defeated Chihatan in the first round and Maginot in the quarter-finals, but lost to Black Forest in the semi-finals. No one I saw at any point matched Ueno-san's description, and I didn't know of any way to reach out to her."

Seika considered what Hisa had to say, before finding one thing that did not quite add up.

"This may sound like a stupid question..." Seika said. She was somewhat nervous by nature, and she tended to be especially mindful of her actions when around her seniors, her commander, and others who outranked her.

"No, please ask, Bundou-san," Mihoko said.

"When you met Ueno-san, why didn't you exchange cell phone numbers?" Seika said.

"I never thought we'd be unable to meet again after the promise she had made," Mihoko said. "And second… I do not have a cell phone."

"The thing is…" Kana said. "The captain isn't very good with modern technology, to say the least."

"Yes, it pains me to admit it," Mihoko said. "But when I so much as touch a computer or modern piece of technology, everything goes wrong, and it tends to stop working, without my even being able to understand why. I've tried to work on this so that I can use computers by myself, but to no avail. And yet..." she said with a smile, "because I was having trouble with computers, I got to meet Kana."

* * *

_Last year_

Mihoko tried searching for Hisa online, but her inexperience with technology caused the computers to inexplicably crash. After suffering a few such incidents, and a few unsuccessful attempts to explain them to the help desk, Mihoko largely decided to stay away from the the computer labs, lest she risk being banned from them entirely.

In her second year, however, Mihoko got some help when, her desire to find out where Hisa might be going to school overrode her fear of getting in trouble. That desire, however, did not override her lack of skill, and she once again ended up crashing the computer she was using.

"Oh no, not again…" Mihoko said, distressed, as what she thought was her attempt to open the web browser caused the computer to crash. She slapped her hands over her mouth as she noticed she had made more noise than she wanted to, or was acceptable.

"Is that you, Fukuji-sama?" a first-year girl with blue hair and the St. Gloriana uniform said, coming up behind Mihoko.

"Um… yes," Mihoko said, embarrassed at being caught in the process of trying to use a computer. "And you are?"

"Sorry, I'm forgetting my manners- it happens a lot, so my folks sent me here to work on that," the girl said, as what looked like cat ears seemed to sprout from her hair. "My name is Ikeda Kana, and I am a first-year. It's a pleasure to meet you, Fukuji-sama; I've heard about you before, when I was applying for the tankery team."

"It's nice to meet you, Ikeda-san," Mihoko said as they bowed to each other, overcoming her embarrassment in an attempt to change the subject..

"Fukuji-sama, what, may I ask, happened with that computer?" Kana said.

"I was trying to look up the rosters of other tankery schools," Mihoko said. "I'm looking for an Ueno-san, who led her team to victory in the semi-finals of the middle school tankery tournament two years ago, but dropped out and vanished without a trace after that."

"Let me see here," Kana said. She restarted the computer, logged in with her student username and password, opened the web browser and went to a search engine.

"Um, how do you spell 'Ueno-san's' last name… and I assume that it is this person's last name?" Kana said.

"Please enter the search terms as I describe them," Mihoko said. Kana complied, pressed Enter, and started looking through the results.

"Ueno-san's first name seems to be 'Hisa', is it not?" Mihoko said. "I've noticed it coming up frequently."

"These are all middle school tankery records and stories about tankery," Kana said. "You were looking for high school, were you not?"

"I am," Mihoko said. "Specifically, whether Ueno-san is currently going to or playing at another school."

"All right, leave it to me!" Kana said. Kana modified the search entry to include Hisa's full name, plus the term "high school," and pressed Enter again. This time, there were no results for it, showing "Displaying search results for Ueno+Hisa instead."

"Nyaaa… no results?!" Kana said. "Damn it..." she muttered under her breath. She realized she was growing relatively comfortable around Mihoko, and was forgetting to put in the effort toward formality.

"Thank you very much for your help with this, Ikeda-san," Mihoko said. "I apologize for imposing on you."

"No big deal," Kana said. "Everyone has things that they can and can't do, right?"

"That is true," Mihoko said. "But I feel as though the things I cannot do for myself should not have to inconvenience others."

"It's only inconvenient if you don't think of it as doing it willingly," Kana said. "I'd be happy to help you with computers or technology, practically any time, Fukuji-sama, on one condition."

"What condition is that, Ikeda-san?" Mihoko said.

Kana let off a faint chuckle before responding.

"Please call me by my first name," Kana said.

Mihoko thought for a moment and smiled.

"That seems to be a reasonable request, Kana," Mihoko said. "I look forward to working with you on the team."

* * *

_Present day_

"I see…" Seika said. "Ikeda-sama and the Captain seemed to be close for some time. But what about Fukabori-sama and Yoshitome-sama?"

"Fukabori-san was able to get onto the team at the beginning of the year," Miharu said. "However, I was not so lucky. I was one of the lowest-ranking gunners, only ahead of a girl who quit the team almost immediately, discouraged and frustrated over her performance."

"_Was_, Miharun," Kana said. "Now you're one of the better ones."

"You and the captain were among the few who thought I'd ever improve, Kana-chan," Miharu said.

"The previous commander… Ceylon-sama, was it?" Seika said. "I have heard some disturbing rumors about her, but I am unwilling to believe that they are true. I suspect that they're exaggerated to some degree and are not the entire truth."

"Hell ye…I-I mean, yes, they are!" Kana said.

"Yes, and they're probably understatements, if anything," Sumiyo said, surprisingly forcefully for someone as quiet as she was.

"Ceylon-sama believed that only the strong were fit to do tankery," Miharu said. "The strong on the team were the chosen elite, but their positions were not necessarily secure. The lowest ranking ones were 'encouraged' to leave; Ceylon-sama could bench any member of the team that she wanted, but could not remove a student from the club unless she was found guilty of misconduct. And yet, since she did not believe they would ever improve, she saw no point in keeping them around."

"You know that gunner I mentioned?" Kana said. "I wouldn't be surprised if she got some 'encouragement' from Ceylon to leave. Of course, it's not as though Ceylon's exactly private about how she feels about our lower performers."

"Ceylon-sama started openly expressing such sentiments after the loss two years ago," Mihoko said. "She believed her predecessor, Jasmine-sama, was too soft while she was commander that year, and that led to lax discipline on the team, which in turn led to our team being weaker than it once was. It may only be my perception of her, but during my first year here, while Ceylon-sama was a tank commander under Jasmine-sama, Ceylon-sama was kinder and more reasonable, albeit somewhat strict with her subordinates, which may be why she was chosen in the first place."

"She always put the blame on others," Kana said. "And she never really considers people's potential. Everyone did what she said but no one really respected her. And when a problem gets resolved, like improving Miharun's aiming, it's often despite, rather than because of her."

"Darjeeling-sama did once tell me that 'Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid'," Miharu said, "or in other words, that I might be better suited to another position. I think the captain was the only person besides you who suspected that I had potential as a gunner."

* * *

_Last year  
_

Later that year, Mihoko watched a practice session from the observation tower, with Kana and Ceylon. The tanks were doing target practice at the time.

"Is something wrong, Captain?" Kana said. The two served in the same tank, and Kana had taken to calling Mihoko that since Mihoko had become her immediate superior.

"It's the gunner from Team 24, Yoshitome-san, I believe," Mihoko says. "She's never hit a target before, but she practices hard, harder than most of the regulars on the team."

"Oh, Miharun?" Kana said. "I know her; we got to know each other during orientation this year. She practices all the time, but she doesn't quite have it down, even after I told her about the strich marks on the sights. She's actually pretty smart, so I'm sure she understands what she needs to do, but for some reason, her shots don't hit."

"Please do not waste your time or energy fretting about such an incompetent girl, Fukuji-san," Ceylon said. "The team will not suffer any significant loss without someone such as her who could be nothing more than an impediment to our efforts. As it stands now, the menial chores of our esteemed club are the optimal way for those not meritorious enough to compete in tankery matches."

In addition to her refined appearance, Ceylon spoke with an elegant and aristocratic voice. While she always used keigo and proper honorifics, she did so to demonstrate her superiority over the lower classes and their more "vulgar" way of talking. Mihoko could not help but be intimidated by Ceylon's mode of speech, but at the same time, she could not agree with what she was saying.

"With due respect, Ceylon-sama," Mihoko said, "I believe I know Yoshitome-san's problem."

"Very well, if you are so interested in Yoshitome-san and confident in your ability to find the solution, I suggest you do it on your own time," Ceylon said. "But if it proves detrimental to your performance, Fukuji-san, please remember that you can and will be replaced should the need arise."

"Yes, ma'am," Mihoko said.

Kana rolled her eyes in response to Ceylon's dismissive reply.

_"The Captain was making a suggestion, Ceylon,"_ Kana thought. _"Reject it if you want, but at least be grateful she's trying to help."_

"Do you have something you wish to say to me, Ikeda-san?" Ceylon said with a patronizing and icy tone of voice.

"N-no... ma'am!" Kana said.

Mihoko nodded, and excused herself. She started to bow, and lightly tapped Kana's back, causing her to follow suit. Ceylon offered a light and almost unnoticeable bow in acknowledgment of the gesture, and the two parted.

"Sorry you had to give me that little... 'reminder,' Captain," Kana said. "But people like Ceylon...-sama pi- make me angry at times."

"How so, Kana?" Mihoko said.

"She demands our respect, while only providing the most superficial acknowledgment of it," Kana said. "She insults and talks down to many of us while jumping on every tiny breach of etiquette that we commit. She's worse than the customers my mom had to deal with as a sales clerk before my three little sisters were born."

"To a certain extent, people in leadership positions can only lead as long as they have the respect of their subordinates," Mihoko said. "And there are times when it may be necessary for them to assert their authority; Ceylon-sama believes Jasmine-sama did not do so well enough."

"I get what you're saying, Captain, but I don't think this fully justifies what she's doing," Kana said. "Granted, I'm not especially good with uneven levels of respect- bowing more deeply than the other person, using 'sir' or 'ma'am' on someone who calls me 'little girl', and so forth. But I think there's a difference between acting in a respectable manner and throwing your weight around; people's respect will come naturally if you're at all respectable. Maybe I don't understand it, but this is how I feel, at least..."

"No, I think you understand it _perfectly_, Kana," Mihoko said. "I believe that respect is earned. And perhaps, if we manage to help Yoshitome-san, Ceylon-sama will at least acknowledge this effort."

* * *

"Miharun!" Kana said as she approached Miharu after practice.

"Hello, Ikeda-san," Miharu said.

"Fukuji-sama has a proposal for you," Kana said, as Mihoko walked in, several feet behind Kana.

"Oh, is that you, Fukuji-sama?" Miharu said, bowing. "I am sorry, I did not recognize you from so far away…"

Mihoko smiled and nodded. _"Case in point,"_ she thought.

"Yoshitome-san, do you have some free time tomorrow afternoon, while our ship is in port?" Mihoko said. "I believe I might know the solution to your problem."

"Yes, I do," Miharu said. "Where do you want me to come?"

Mihoko produced a piece of paper and wrote down an address.

"Please meet me here; I will head there with Kana," Mihoko said. Miharu's eyes widened as she saw the name of the business on it.

"Thank you very much- I will see you there, Fukuji-sama, Ikeda-san!" Miharu said.

* * *

Miharu walked on the streets of the port city that St. Gloriana's school ship had pulled into while on a trip to shore. She had been to the area where she had been told to meet with Mihoko and Kana before, but only knew her destination by the address she had been given.

"Hello, this is Yoshitome," Miharu said.

"Miharun, where are you?" Kana said. "The captain and I are already there!"

"Ikeda-san?" Miharu said. "I'm having trouble finding the address of the building."

"Could you describe where you are?" Kana said.

"I can see a sign across the street, but I can't read it," Miharu said. "I'll send a photo to you."

About a minute later, the photo of the sign showed up in Kana's cell phone.

Kana turned to Mihoko and put her hand over the speaker.

"You were right, Captain," Kana said. "Miharun really does need glasses." Kana then turned back to Miharu. "All right, Miharun, you're almost there! Just follow my instructions and you'll be with us soon."

Miharu followed Kana's instructions, and found herself near a small strip mall where the optometrist's shop was.

_"Could this be the solution to my problems?"_ Miharu thought, still coming to grips with the fact that she needed glasses.

* * *

One appointment later, Miharu had a prescription for glasses, and within a few weeks, she was able to have them shipped to her apartment.

The following day, at school, Kana waited outside, talking with some of her other friends.

"Ikeda-san!" Miharu called out. Kana turned, surprised that Miharu had noticed her from such a distance. "Those glasses you and the captain helped me get are working quite nicely!"

"That's good to hear," Kana said. "There should be ranking matches today, to determine whether we get onto the team for the coming tournament."

"I'll do my best, Ikeda-san," Miharu said.

"Could you stop calling me that?" Kana said. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"Already?" Miharu said, but paused, smiled and nodded. "Then what would you like me to call you?"

"Say it with me- Kana-chan," Kana said.

"Kana-chan," Miharu said.

"That's the way!" Kana said. "Good luck, Miharun!"

"Thank you, Kana-chan!" Miharu said.

* * *

_Present day_

"Miharun passed the ranking matches with flying colors," Kana said. "It was pretty nice seeing the look on Ceylon…sama's face when Miharun, someone she wrote off as hopeless, improved so much. I wonder if it shook the confidence she had in her so-called 'elite' troops."

"That's good to hear," Sumiyo said. "Having the trust of your teammates and comrades is a great gift, but also a great responsibility. So what happens when you let them down?"

"You're still going on about _that_, Fukabori-san?" Kana said. "I don't think you deserve all the blame for the loss last year. We got lucky, having Continuance in the first round and Anzio in the quarterfinals, which easily buckled under our commander's aggressive attacks. And our luck ran out when we went up against Pravda, so I don't think we would have gotten out of that situation regardless of what you'd done. "

"I agree, Kana," Mihoko said, "although I do wonder if I _could_ have won that match. The opponent that time was quite difficult."

* * *

_One year ago_

In the semi-finals, Pravda, St. Gloriana's opponent that round, that year, launched a surprise attack on the flag tank after luring it into a trap. An escape route seemed open, across a bridge near a gorge. But the driver of the Matilda behind the flag tank, Fukabori Sumiyo, missed the turn onto the bridge and screeched to a halt, as she slammed on the brakes.

Within moments, the Matilda would have been back in position, but a moment was all the Pravda team needed. A KV-2 fired on the Matilda, disabling it as it was backing up. A second later, the nearby IS-2 took the opportunity to take a shot on the flag tank, a Churchill. The bridge swayed as the shell struck the back of the tank, and slowed down as the white flag went up.

"Pravda wins the match!" the announcer said.

As the engagement concluded and all the tanks, not just the ones that had been struck and disabled, stood still, Katyusha peered out the hatch of her KV-2 at the disabled flag tank.

"AH HA HA!" Hiroe, commander of Pravda's tank team at the time, cackled in her tank. "The infamous Hiroe the trap master strikes again!"

"Great shot, Nonna!" Katyusha said over the radio. "Even if we did get a little lucky with the Matilda leaving the flag tank open, that wasn't as easy as taking out the Matilda."

"The entire situation transpired because the enemy commander fell for our trap," Nonna said modestly. "The other tanks had no choice but to follow the orders she gave them."

"Do they think their commander's going to send them to Siberia or something?" Katyusha said.

"I'm sure you mean the Tower of London," Nonna said. "But I have heard... disturbing rumors about their commander, so it is entirely plausible."

* * *

Elsewhere, Darjeeling heard the results of the match from the sidelines, having been taken out of the match earlier by Hiroe's tank.

"Have you ever heard this saying?" Darjeeling said. "Shooting fish in a barrel."

"I have," Assam said. "You have to wonder, though, who's responsible for getting the hit? The person who made the shot? The fish? The barrel? Or the person who put the fish in the barrel?"

"Please do not joke about this, you two," Oolong, a girl with raven-colored hair in a ponytail, who was a third-year and the vice-captain of the team, said. "You know who the commander will blame for this."

"Yes, ma'am," Darjeeling said. "Gallows humor is all well and good, but I suppose it is only appropriate when the noose is for you."

"Ceylon-sama was always good at tying knots, if nothing else," Assam said, her expression and tone turning grave although her words were not. "She's tied her shoes since she was a little girl, she's tied her necktie every day since getting here, tying nooses for all of us, metaphorically speaking, won't be that much of a task."

* * *

After the match, the rival commanders walked back for the post-game ceremonies. The bows that the teams exchanged were mandatory, a part of the ceremony, but while opposing commanders often shook hands as a show of good sportsmanship, it was often seen as a touch that went beyond what was expected. As such, it was a courtesy that Ceylon did not deign to show to those who defeated her, even when Hiroe extended her hand.

"Allow me to extend my most _sincere_ congratulations to you, Atago-san," Ceylon said, her hands at her sides. "To triumph over us is a rare and fortuitous occasion for you and yours, so it is only fitting that I do my best to honor it as gracefully as I can."

"Just can your condescending BS, Princess," Hiroe said, retracting her hand- she had coined "Princess" as an insulting pet name for Ceylon, to reflect her perception of Ceylon as a spoiled aristocrat. "I don't know what kind of family you come from that would give you the right to talk down to people like how you're doing, but remember this- even if my mom can't buy and sell you multiple times over, she'd crush your team in about half the time I took."

"Ah, the nouveau riche," Ceylon said. "A family gains enough money in a single generation to be among the wealthy, and thus, they imagine themselves to be our equals as well. Well, if you are looking for students at this so-called school of yours, one of our drivers could need a lesson- it is not as though she would learn if taught, though."

"Well, we _are_ always accepting students- Nonna, who shot your flag tank, is one of our graduates," Hiroe said. "Unlike that silly little 'Black Tea Garden' of yours with its exclusive membership- is everyone in it an elitist prick like you, Princess?"

"Tragically, the answer is no, not everyone shares my perspective or standards, to rephrase your oh so vulgar description," Ceylon said. "The membership requirements have grown lax as of late, enough so that perhaps the likes of you could get in. I do suppose luck and taking advantage of incompetence are skills, after all."

"Really?" Hiroe said. "If I did, what kind of tea would I be named after? The kind that maybe would be a quasi-reasonable name for one's kids, or the other kind?"

"Would it matter to you, Atago-san?" Ceylon said. "I doubt an uncultured boor like you knows enough about tea to appreciate it."

Ceylon walked away, leaving her comment as a parting shot.

Hiroko let off an exasperated sigh. It seemed only inevitable that Hiroe and Ceylon would detest each other at their second meeting, the first in which they exchanged words beyond the formalities. They both had similarities- the two of them were proud and confident in their abilities, even if Hiroe's pride was better founded- and differences- Hiroe was tactless to her foes while Ceylon hid behind a mask of politeness to flaunt her own superiority- in all the critical areas. Worst of all, Hiroe's quick temper was aggravated by Ceylon's arrogance.

But one thing Hiroko noticed was that Hiroe was oddly upset. She typically had the attitude that people talking down to others was annoying, but people talking down to those better than them was downright laughable. So why, then, was Hiroe not laughing at Ceylon?

"Anyway, great work, everyone," Hiroe said, walking back.

"Is something the matter, Hiroe?" Hiroko, said. "You don't seem as full of confidence as usual, and I don't think even the upcoming finals is enough to deflate it."

"Yeah, it's St. Gloriana's commander," Hiroe said. "She looks like she's going to throw some of her teammates under the bus over our defeating them- including the driver of the Matilda that was protecting the flag tank. Now, I don't have any regrets about winning- I just don't like people with that attitude."

"Well, the driver of the Matilda clearly blew it," Hiroko said. "Then again, if they had kept going across the bridge, they'd have run into my group on the other side. The Churchill in front would have been first to go, and its commander, the driver, or the entire crew would probably be in hot water in that case."

"And whose idea was it to send them there, falling right into my trap in the process?" Hiroe said. "Being a complete and utter bitch to your teammates is one thing, but doing that when _you're_ the one at fault is downright inexcusable."

"Not everyone has the perspective that Aunt Masae's teachings offer," Hiroko said. "And it's human nature to identify a single cause for a problem, even if there are several; I've had to resist that urge while analyzing the outcomes of our battles. The Matilda's driver might not be the only or the most important cause of their loss, but she's the most visible. And after a sudden loss in the semi-finals, heads will roll."

"Well, then, I imagine Black Forest's gonna be pissed off at someone on their team after I beat them in the finals this year," Hiroe said.

* * *

After the post-game ceremony ended, before the St. Gloriana team returned to their ship, Ceylon approached Sumiyo, her eyes almost glowing with malice.

"Fukabori-san," Ceylon said. "You blundered at an essential moment, resulting in your tank being taken out of the match. You were unable to help protect the flag tank, which fell in large part because of your negligence. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Sumiyo said nothing. The facts were clear and indisputable. While it was possible for her to say that her role should she have remained in the game would have kept the flag tank from being disabled, she was unable to do so from her perspective. Ceylon's icy stare made it difficult for Sumiyo to say anything, and Ceylon's disturbing and unnatural serenity all but ruled out the possibility of her making a mistake.

"_People buckle under pressure because they're scared of what you'll do to them if they fail_", Kana thought, but couldn't quite bring herself to say it out loud. One of Kana's shortcomings regarding etiquette was her occasional failure to keep certain opinions to herself, especially when she talked to or about her superiors. But while she had no respect for Ceylon, she kept that to herself, more out of fear of Ceylon than deference to her rank.

"Please stop, Ceylon-sama," Mihoko said, stepping forward. "The fault for our defeat does not lie in one person's hands alone."

"You will take your share of responsibility in time, Fukuji-san," Ceylon said. "But you cannot deny Fukabori-san's mistake, or that her making it at such a crucial point is proof of her incompetence."

"Yes, it was a mistake," Mihoko said. "But it was also one born from stress and panic, as well as the less than optimal situation she and her teammates were in. We are all only human, and Fukabori-san is one of our better drivers. It is natural that in a situation like this, with few choices that do not lead to instant defeat, and perhaps one in which winning is no longer possible, she would make a mistake. Ceylon-sama, can you honestly say you have never done the same?"

"Yes," Ceylon said.

Ceylon was immediately met with disapproving stares from the entire team- those who had been cowed into silence, those who believed protesting would be a show of bad manners, and even those who had agreed with Ceylon.

"…On second thought, no," she said. "I will not punish you this time, Fukabori-san," Ceylon said. "But my magnanimity is only finite; pray that you do not fail us again."

Ceylon walked off, toward the ship. As the tension slowly faded from the air, Sumiyo turned to Mihoko.

"Fukuji-sama… Thank you…" Sumiyo said.

Mihoko placed a hand on Sumiyo's shoulder, then turned to the remaining students.

"Everyone, our participation in the tournament this year has ended," Mihoko said. "Some of us are moving on after this year, including our commander. But for the rest of us, nothing has ended yet. We all have room to improve, as well as untapped potential in tankery. So let us do our utmost to prepare ourselves for next year, starting with our return."

The rest of the team cheered excitedly. Their focus had moved beyond their defeat to what they could do next, giving them something to focus their efforts on. Rather than lament their defeat, they would hope their efforts would lead them to victory next time.

* * *

_Present day_

"The captain was amazing back then," Kana said. "If I'd worked up the nerve to say something, I probably would have just gotten angry and lost control at that point, and my response wouldn't have been as effective as your calm one was."

"Leadership is often more about the kind of image you can project to other than what you are feeling on the inside, Kana," Mihoko said. "Often, you might need to be strong for your subordinates at times when you are less than sure yourself."

"I agree, Captain, and in hindsight, I do think you owe the rest of the team a bit of thanks as well, Fukabori-san," Miharu said. "The captain's words drove them to action, and shamed Ceylon into backing down."

"That's true," Sumiyo said.

"A leader is nothing without her subordinates," Mihoko said. "The greatest tragedy is that Ceylon-sama forgot that, seeing her troops as a means to an end. And what did she get once all was said and done, and she fell short of her goal of winning the tournament?"

* * *

_End of the last school year_

Ceylon graduated at the end of that year, and virtually no one missed her. Despite being loathed by the majority of the tankers, Ceylon, like her predecessor, got a send-off at the last tankery meeting of the year. Even those who had faced her wrath the most often and those who had resented her most deeply were civil to her in the course of it, the same condescending politeness Ceylon used on others when she was in a good mood.

Ceylon recognized that feeling, and the sense of being a "lame duck" commander after her defeat in the tournament. And as she stood in the reception hall of St. Gloriana, she approached Kana.

"Hello, Ceylon-sama," Kana said. "I'd just like to let you know that St. Gloriana won't be the same once you're gone."

"Ikeda-san, I am not ignorant of your enmity toward me, nor am I blind to that of others," Ceylon said. "But I had thought that people like you would have made your feelings more obvious at the time of my departure."

"The thought occurred to me, _Ceylon_," Kana said, dropping the formal tone she had used before now that she knew it no longer served its purpose, much like she took off her necktie and unbuttoned her dress shirt's top button once she got home. "But, as you said, it's almost over; I'm here mainly for your successor, not to take a parting shot at you. You're not worth it."

Ceylon's mouth gaped open, and she stared speechless. There was no indignation or arrogant rebuttal, merely stunned silence. Not seeing any point in continuing the conversation and not wanting to give Kana the pleasure of seeing her in such a humiliating state, Ceylon slunk off. Perhaps it would be good manners to stay, but Ceylon did not want to give those she most likely would never see again after graduation the satisfaction of seeing her like this.

Kana walked back to Mihoko, who was talking with Sumiyo and Seika.

"Ah, hello, Kana," Mihoko said. "I noticed you talking with Ceylon-sama, before she left. Did she say anything in particular?"

"Not really," Kana said. "She's still a bi-I mean, she's still bitter about how things turned out."

"I can imagine," Mihoko said. "But Kana, I hope you do not hate Ceylon-sama."

"Wh-why wouldn't I?" Kana said, taken off guard by Mihoko's directness. Even among her friends, Kana was reluctant to openly admit how much she detested Ceylon.

"Victory can be ever elusive," Mihoko said. "And as such, people can push themselves as much as they think is necessary to win, and do the same for others. But what happens when someone, like Ceylon-sama, does so to the point at which she alienates everyone else, and still fails to get what she wants? That's why, as Ceylon-sama stands at the end of her high school tankery career, having lost much because of her own mistakes and having very little to show for it, I pity her."

Kana paused and realized that she could not argue with Mihoko's assessment.

"You're a better woman than I, Captain," Kana said. "And that's why I think you deserve _it_ more."

Out of the corner of their eyes, some students saw the coach, Lady Grey, walking up to the podium, a somewhat elegantly carved wooden one with St. Gloriana's school emblem on the front and a microphone on it.

They knew that this was the time at which the next commander would be announced- St. Gloriana chose its commanders from among the higher performing ones of the previous year, and almost always, among those who would be third years in the following year. Lady Grey had considered her options carefully, having come to regret her choice of Ceylon as commander, and had made her decision knowing that skill was not the only factor a commander should have.

"May I have your attention, please?" Lady Grey said. "We now come to our final event of the evening, in which I will announce the name of the new commander for our third year. This student not only has demonstrated great skill in tankery, but also has demonstrated good leadership qualities. Leadership, as most of you have learned, is more than about knowing what direction to take those under your command, but having the ability to convince them to follow. The girl who has been chosen to be the next commander has demonstrated all of this."

The coach then gestured behind her.

"Please offer your congratulations to Fukuji Mihoko-san!"

Cheers went up from the assembled St. Gloriana girls, as Mihoko stepped up to the podium.

"_I've been entrusted with a great responsibility,"_ Mihoko thought. _"Everyone… thank you for believing in me. I won't let you down."_

* * *

_Present day_

"You know, Captain, I've been thinking about what you said back then," Kana said. "Ceylon did seem pitiable back there, knowing that we were only putting up with her because we knew we'd soon be rid of her. I would feel bad for her... if it wasn't all her fault."

"Fair enough, Kana," Mihoko said. "At the very least, I do not intend make the same mistakes that Ceylon-sama did."

"I think I'm starting to understand your methods of leadership, Captain," Seika said.

"After I was appointed, I realized I had a long way to go toward preparing my team for the tournament," Mihoko said. "I chose Darjeeling-san as my vice-captain, since she was one of the more skilled tankers. I also set out to establish a training camp. The gap between us and Black Forest's best is still large, and I hope to do everything in my power to reduce it."

* * *

_Earlier this year  
_

"Since getting catering for something like this may not be in the budget, I think we should have someone cook dinner," Darjeeling said. "I could do so if necessary, since you seem quite busy, Commander."

Assam turned pale in horror.

"Assam-sama?" Orange Pekoe, a new first year, said. "Is something wrong with Darjeeling-sama's cooking?"

Assam knew from her training in etiquette that while the way one said something greatly impacted how well it was received, there were certain things that were not appropriate to say at all. She thus realized that there was no way of sparing Darjeeling's feelings on this matter.

"Perhaps, Pekoe-san, you could have a taste and see?" Assam said. "But after so many students called in sick after Darjeeling served dinners, I wouldn't be surprised if the Student Council no longer accepted that as a valid excuse for calling in sick."

Mihoko had to agree with Assam, having eaten a roast beef that Darjeeling made in their first year, and ending up relieved of her desire to eat anything for almost 24 hours. But she reasoned that pointing out Darjeeling's lack of skill in cooking was not only not polite, but not even the most productive thing she could do in this situation.

"Please leave the cooking to me," Mihoko said. "I happen to have a talent for cooking."

"I can do it if you would like," Orange Pekoe said. "After all, the first-years should handle the chores and other duties around here."

"No, please allow me to handle the cooking," Mihoko said. "If the underclassmen are free to participate in tankery, they will come to enjoy it more."

* * *

That evening, Mihoko made dinner and served it to the tankers at the training camp.

"This is most excellent," Darjeeling said. "I wish to give my compliments to the chef."

Orange Pekoe, glancing at her new friend and senpai, noticed that the smile seemed to fade from Darjeeling's lips when she was not chewing on a morsel of the delicious food.

"Is something the matter, Darjeeling-sama?" Orange Pekoe said. "You said you're enjoying the meal, but you don't seem happy."

"The reasons are twofold," Darjeeling said. "First, I do not wish to further impose on the commander. She often worries about us losing time to practice tankery due to having to do chores- has she not considered that we also worry about her as well, and also do not wish to impose on her?"

Orange Pekoe nodded. Darjeeling had once told her that she and Mihoko had paid her dues in her first year, by doing chores and practicing with a tank until they got spots on the regular team in their second, a reward for their dedication and talent. And while not having to do the same was appealing for the first-years, was it fair to Mihoko herself to once again shoulder all the work? And would her successors carry on her tradition of paying it forward?

"And second?" Orange Pekoe said.

"Second, I am afraid that I will never get the chance to show all of you how well I can cook!" Darjeeling said.

Assam smiled and barely stifled a giggle in response to what Darjeeling had said.

"Thank you very much for that second point, Darjeeling-san," Assam said. "Now I feel less guilty about imposing on the commander."

* * *

_Present day_

"So now we're more or less caught up to where I came in?" Seika said. "Although, I suppose that was slightly before the training camp."

"That is correct, Bundou-san," Mihoko said. "But if my story about the training camp shows you _how_ I do things, my conversation with you back then shows _why_ I do things that way."

* * *

_At the start of the year_

At the bulletin board showing the students' results for the tankery tryouts, Seika, a new first-year, looked for her name, but ultimately failed to find it.

"I knew it…" Seika groaned as she looked over her results for the tryouts. She had thought that St. Gloriana fit a happy medium in between schools like Black Forest with a prestigious tankery program but fierce competition, and ones that had a less established program. People were more likely to make it onto the team, and could at least count on having a serious chance at making it to the

Of course, Seika knew that even at a mid-grade tankery school, there was still going to be competition. She expected that she might not make the team the first year, especially when facing second- or third-years who were driven to train hard to earn a spot. But she never thought that she would be so far behind everyone else- not just the tankery team members, or even the third- and second-years, but many of those who were new this year. Taking away all but the latter, there were still so many who were better at radio operation than she was. As things stood now, she had to wonder if she would be nothing but a bench-warmer, waiting for a turn to step up that would never come.

Seika headed into the office to see if there were any people who needed help with her work. At the very least, she could show her resolve another way.

Seika saw a single girl from behind, sorting the files.

"Excuse me, does anyone here nee-" Seika paused as the girl turned around, and Seika recognized the single open eye that glanced at her. "Commander!"

"Bundou-san?" Mihoko said. "I remember you did quite well with the Churchilll's hull gun, as well as at the co-driver position."

"Commander,you remembered how I did, even though I didn't make the team?" Seika said.

Mihoko nodded.

"Yes, it was quite insightful," Mihoko said. "Some people do not always test well on the rankings; I've discussed it with the coach, but have been unable to persuade her to adopt an alternative."

_"The commander really thinks that I might measure up better under a different yardstick?" _Seika thought. For the moment, though, she decided to move on to another question she had.

"But why are you filing papers, anyway?" Seika said. "Shouldn't you get the first-years, or those who can't qualify for the team to do it instead?"

"Most club presidents, team captains and the like would," Mihoko said. "Was that how things were done where you went to middle school, Bundou-san?"

"It was," Seika said. "My senpais' reasoning was that the first-years essentially pay their dues. If you don't like the chores, you work to get better. And if you can't get good enough, you still have a way to contribute."

"I see- the carrot and the stick, as well as the idea of a humble sense of duty," Mihoko said. "But I believe some would find such an arrangement odious, and quit before long. And if they spend too much time doing chores and errands, they will not have as much time to practice. People stuck in those lowly positions tend to lose not only their hope, but their love of tankery."

"I understand what you're getting at, Commander, but not everyone gets on the team," Seika said.

"I am well aware, Bundou-san," Mihoko said. "But isn't it better if the commanders believe that any one of them not on the regular team _could_ become an asset to the team? Would you not work harder if you believed that you _could_ improve enough to be of use to us?"

Seika nodded.

"We will have another ranking test before the tournament begins," Mihoko said. "Nothing is set in stone at the moment, and _because_ of that, I wish you the best of luck."

Seika's resolve was renewed. If Mihoko thought that someone like her was worthy to be on the team, she would prove herself worthy. If Mihoko thought that a first-year could make it onto the team, she would do so this year. And when she was ultimately chosen for a spot on Mihoko's team, she felt as though her faith in herself- as well as Mihoko's faith in her- was vindicated.

* * *

_Present day_

"Yes, I still remember that time we talked, Bundou-san," Mihoko said. "That, above all else, demonstrates why I lead the way I do. But not only do I believe there are benefits to this method, but it is almost as though fate set forth an opportunity for me to prove it."

"Because of what happened in the last tournament?" Kana said. Mihoko nodded.

"Last year, Black Forest's almost decade-long winning streak ended," Mihoko said. "It was also the time when Ceylon-sama's defeat proved that ruthlessness and cruelty in our leaders would not necessarily make us a winning team when 'softer' methods failed. Some schools are considered more likely than others to win, but no one is certain who will. It is thus our opportunity to make our school the one that does."

The group, finished their lunches and walked over to the tankery garage. Once they arrived, Mihoko stepped away from the group.

"I'm going to have a brief meeting with Darjeeling-san and a few of the other commanders regarding the coming battle with Oarai," Mihoko said. "You can start getting changed into your tankery uniforms."

Mihoko walked off, toward the office. As she shut the door behind her, Kana turned to the others.

"So there you have it," Kana said once Mihoko was out of earshot. "But you'll notice that of all the reasons she talked about doing this, the captain did not once mention herself. That's no accident, nor is it a deliberate omission- it's how the captain's always been, thinking of others before herself."

"Do you think she's telling the truth?" Seika said.

"Of course she is!" Kana said, with a hint of defensiveness in her voice. She cleared her throat and calmed down before resuming. "Of course, she wants to win as much as anyone else does, and she has always been thinking of seeing Ueno-san again since she first got here, but she won't let either desire come before our needs."

"That explains quite a bit," Seika said. "Perhaps our goals and hers are not mutually exclusive, but can be accomplished together."

Kana nodded.

"The captain says she wants us to be able to enjoy tankery," Kana said. "She sees potential in people, believing that the lower performers can improve, and the underclassmen are those who will one day have spots on the team." Kana stopped and turned around. "But what about her enjoyment, here, now, in this tournament- the last one for her in high school? All of us know that she will never have another chance to win the tournament, so if we want to pay her back, we can help her win this year."

"And what about you, Ikeda-sama?" Seika said. "Surely your motivation is personal as well?"

"For me, it's also about proving that the captain's way of tankery is not wrong," Kana said. "Ceylon brought us to the semi-finals last year, but her arrogance and incompetence resulted in us falling into the trap. We're not in the same half as Black Forest or Pravda, so there should be no cause for us to believe that it's not possible to reach and win the semi-finals, at least, and prove that the captain's way is superior to Ceylon.'s As the captain says a leader is nothing without her subordinates in tankery. So it's up to us to do our part, to help her achieve her goals just as she's helped us."

The girls of St. Gloriana knew that the task they were setting out to accomplish would not be an easy one. They were devoted to their leader, but so were the girls of other schools. They were invigorated by the prospect of defeating Black Forest, but so were many of the school's other opponents. But they knew that their commander had chosen them for the team, as the ones she trusted to bring victory for St. Gloriana, even when others would have seen them as unlikely choices at best. As such, they believed it was their duty, and way of repaying a debt of gratitude to Mihoko, to do everything they could to win the tournament.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows.

CaptainDavidBlake: Bosporu's canonically the Polish school, as well as the one Pravda canonically defeated in the first round.

EXpertUS: Oarai can't use the Porsche Tiger at the moment, for reasons that I will explain in the next chapter. Additionally, they canonically got the Char B1 Bis before the quarterfinals, and had to put a different crew in it for the manga because Mallard Team hadn't joined yet.

Oddly enough, juniors in St. Gloriana seem to call upperclassmen"-sama" rather than "senpai," something I replicated here.

I'd also like to thank severstal for showing me the information about the "Black Tea Garden"- the source of the "tea names" from the "Monthly Senshado."

The part about Miharu getting her glasses was apparently covered in a Saki picture drama, although I don't know Japanese and there were no subs (Youtube's Automatic Captions translated "I am Yoshitome Miharu, first year at Kazekoshi All-Girls School" as "Steak and Meat battle, just 82 sen lending") Sumiyo's past is entirely my creation, since I wanted to give her a character beyond "the fat girl who lost to Nodoka, Touka and Momo".

Kana is somewhat more polite than in canon (she typically doesn't use honorifics on people younger than her), to reflect how she would be in this environment. I also had her relapse into more informal or rude speech, depending on the situation and her mood, to indicate that politeness doesn't come naturally to her.

Ceylon is an original character I created, largely because Coach Kubo was at Black Forest, and partly as a result of her being from the group of students that graduated before the start of the series, leaving no one in Saki or Girls und Panzer who could easily take over. I created her as a way of showing some of the measures that a school might take to defeat Black Forest- such as believing that only by becoming as ruthless and unforgiving as they were, they could succeed. You'll later see some more about how Hiroe leads, as she has long worked on finding a way to defeat Black Forest. In Saki, Mihoko implies having a very strict senpai during her first year, the only year in which Kazekoshi won the prefecturals and reached the nationals, and that her senpai gave her team a strict schedule upon their arrival in Tokyo.

I noticed that Lady Grey is often used as the name for the headmistress of St. Gloriana, who, like the administrators of Oarai and the other schools, has never been seen. I decided to do something different and use that name for the coach, since I couldn't find a Saki character who would easily fit that role (as well as no one whom I think would make the mistake of appointing someone like Ceylon commander).

Hiroe may seem less standoffish in this fic, and this is largely because she interacts with her family, friends and teammates (to whom she's surprisingly nice) more than her opponents (whom she taunts for the purpose of getting them to fight at full potential, unless it's someone like Ceylon, whom she simply detests).

Incidentally, what do you think of Mihoko being commander of St. Gloriana? I found that her style of leadership was an interesting one to look at here, and she was a better-developed character than Darjeeling, making her a better choice for commander of St. Gloriana.


	17. Moving On Without You

**Chapter 12: Moving On Without You  
**

Oarai's turn in the second round of the tournament soon came, and they were faced with a more difficult opponent than those they had faced in the practice battle or first round. Miho was pleased with what the team had acquired, particularly how much the Panzer IV's performance increased with the new barrel, but she wondered how useful the new tanks would be without new members to crew them.

Without new members to assign to the Char B1 Bis, Miho decided to go with her alternate plan. She chose the three members that would best be suited to crewing the Char B1 Bis- Erwin, Yukari and Aya- based on which tanks could best afford to make do without one of their members, as well as what adjustments could be made. Miho would load for Anglerfish Team in addition to commanding. Caesar could command Hippo Team in Erwin's stead. Utsugi Yuuki could operate the secondary gun of the M3 Lee for Rabbit Team. Miho considered the advantages and drawbacks of this arrangement, and decided that Oarai would benefit from having an additional tank, albeit while hoping it would be a temporary arrangement until more people joined.

The Porsche Tiger, however, was another story, as Ami, Miho, the Student Council and a few of the tank enthusiasts found as they saw its test run, when it got stuck in mud, overheated and caught on fire- _all at the same time._

"Hey, Nakajima?" Anzu said as the test run concluded in yet another failure. "Are you sure you put it back together correctly?"

"I'm sure she did," Mako said, "and _that's the problem_."

"Someya-dono is correct," Yukari said. "The Porsche Tiger had many mechanical problems, which is why it was never used in battle. That's a shame, since we could use its powerful gun and strong armor against the British tanks of St. Gloriana."

"I understand," Nakajima said. "I'm doing what I can to get it working, but until I do, you're better off not using it. If it keeps breaking down as often as this, it will be useless, even if it's not bad enough for it to be taken out of the game."

"True," Miho said. "And another problem is that since we're stretched thin as is, we don't have the people to crew it, much less the people who could make it work."

"Any progress on recruiting, Kawashima?" Anzu said. While Miho was commander of the team, Momo K. was responsible for recruiting, getting the word out to Oarai, and forwarding all applications to Miho.

"None, unfortunately," Momo said, adopting a more business-like tone that was unlike her usual quick-tempered self. "The assembly in which we discussed tankery and the benefits for participating was mandatory, and over 95 percent of the student body attended. Quite a few Oarai students, as well as their families and friends who lived in the town of Oarai or on the ship, watched the match with BC Freedom. Our victory over Anzio was in the student newspaper, as well as the local news media. At this point, practically everyone here knows about our tankery program."

"I believe Reizei-san is the only person who has joined since we collected our applications," Hisa said. "We can arrange a transfer from one elective to another, but most students have made their decision already, and may not want to get involved with tankery for one reason or another, just like how Miho was told in advance of the assembly, but didn't join until she changed her mind."

"That's true, Hisa," Yuzu said. "And with the match with St. Gloriana in a few days, we most likely wouldn't get them up to speed in time."

"Most of you took to the tanks quite well, but there's a difference between being operate a tank, and being able to do so at a level required for a high school tankery tournament," Ami said. "But then again, I think for the latter, practical experience is required, and you should be able to get that, even without me."

The Student Council members glanced at each other, and nodded. After a whispered exchange, Hisa walked over to Miho.

"Miho, I'd like to meet with you in the Student Council office after practice," Hisa said. "The Instructor would like to talk with us about something."

* * *

Inside the Student Council office, Ami met with the Student Council and Miho to discuss the team's performance and rate of improvement. After sharing her findings and where she thought they could use work, she reached her conclusion.

"You have improved substantially since I came here, ladies," Ami said, "which is why I trust that you'll do well on your own now that I'm no longer watching over or teaching you."

"You're leaving already, Instructor?" Miho said, surprised, having known that Ami would only be at Oarai for a limited time and would leaving in the near future, but having been unsure of the date.

"I have a copy of the agreement we have with Instructor Chouno," Hisa said, handing Miho the agreement. "Here's the date her time teaching us ends- today's date."

"Ah, right; now, I remember," Miho said. "It's just that it seems a bit of a surprise."

"We tried to see if we could have her around for longer," Yuzu said. "But at the beginning, Instructor Chouno explained to us that her services were short-term only."

"I often am assigned to help out schools that can't afford a tankery instructor, or that could use additional help," Ami said. "But I can't stay forever, since I have other duties, and other people who would need my help. In spite of that, it's been a pleasure helping all of you out."

"Thank you for the help, Instructor," Miho said. "Even those of us who have tankery experience can't necessarily do as much to teach others tankery as you have, so you have helped get us up to speed."

"That's true, and I do have one more thing to say, a final lesson of sorts to you all," Ami said. "While teams with a good- as well as a permanent- coach have certain advantages, in the end, it's entirely up to the student-athletes on the tankery team; success hinges on them learning the lessons and putting them to good use in tankery matches. I've done what I could, to teach you the things you need to know, and now it's up to you."

"Thank you very much!" the student council and Miho said as they bowed to Ami.

With a salute, Ami said goodbye to the student council, and stepped out of the office, but beckoned for Miho to follow her. Miho stepped through the door to the student council office and closed it behind her.

"Was there something you wanted to talk with me about, Instructor?" Miho said once the door was shut.

"Yes," Ami said. "I would like to apologize to you for upsetting you when I first arrived by bringing up your family history."

"No, I understand," Miho said. "A lot of people look up to my family's school, so it's natural that one of their students would, as well. It's just that I can't do things the Nishizumi way."

"Maybe you don't have to," Ami said. "I'm not a textbook Nishizumi, either; you might have noticed that my advice to you and your teammates is very different from what I got as a student at your mother's school."

"Well, you were a temporary instructor here," Miho said. "And you are coaching students, rather than people who applied to my mother's school and were accepted."

"You understand your school and your team quite well," Ami said, beaming a smile. "I am a soldier who often instructs other would-be soldiers in how to operate their tanks, when they're fighting to defend their country with their lives. That gives me a certain amount of perspective when it comes to tankery matches. Part of that is that not everyone is willing or able to go as far in their tank training as my comrades, my students and I are, and the methods that would create a successful soldier would drive away a civilian high school student doing this as an extracurricular activity or elective."

"I wonder what Mother would think of what you're saying," Miho said, "as well as the fact that you're helping a school like mine out."

"Instructor Nishizumi acknowledges that I have a job to do," Ami said, gesturing at her dress uniform, "and while she has expressed to me her wish that I would do things more her way, she understands I'm no longer her subordinate, and that my superiors and clients have different expectations. If I get good results, that will be enough."

Miho smiled. She knew that there were more important things than victory, but if she could keep winning, perhaps that might have an impact on her mother.

"That's what I hope to do as well," Miho said. "Pleasing my mother is not my primary objective, but I hope that I can do things my own way, enjoy tankery, and that even if my mother does not come around, she will accept my way of tankery."

"That's good to hear," Ami said, starting to walk off. "And one more thing, Miho-san," Ami said, catching Miho's attention. "There are times in battle when the overall goal held by your faction outweighs the fate of a single individual or crew of a tank." Ami paused. "A tankery match _is not_ one such case. You made the right decision back then."

"Thank you, Instructor," Miho said, bowing.

"I'll be watching you when you face St. Gloriana in the second round," Ami said. "Good luck!"

Ami began to make the trip back to her base, where she would get her next assignment, possibly even teaching at another high school. As of this moment, her relationship with Oarai was over, and how they fared was, professionally, no longer her concern. Ami had been a consultant for schools like Oarai before, and understood the arrangement well, especially when explaining it for the benefit of those who were seeking to hire her.

But even though Ami could no longer do anything for Oarai, and might end up serving as a consultant for a team that had been or would eventually become Oarai's opponent, Ami could not help but root for them. She was reminded of a time ten years ago, when she, a high school student at Black Forest, faced the then underdog Saunders. Saunders had come a long way since then, but had never forgotten the time when few people were expecting it to be a serious contender in the tournament. Perhaps Oarai might do the same, and their performance this year might lead to many other strong showings in the tournament in the future.

* * *

The day of the match against St. Gloriana came, and both school ships pulled into a port far away from each's home port that morning.

In the pre-match greetings, Oarai and St. Gloriana's commanders, both of their overall teams and individual tanks, came together.

Mihoko, with Darjeeling at her side, immediately recognized Oarai's commander and vice captain. She knew that Miho was Maho's younger sister, although she had to wonder why a Nishizumi would be commanding a school like Oarai, even considering what had happened in the previous year.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Nishizumi-san," Mihoko said. "I am Fukuji Mihoko, third-year and commander of St. Gloriana's tank team."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Fukuji-san," Miho said, bowing to Mihoko as she would to someone she just met. "Let's have a good match."

Miho almost forgot Mihoko was entirely committed to defeating her school's enemies and advancing onward in the tournament for the sake of her subordinates, not unlike Miho herself was. And as pleasant as she found Mihoko's politeness and demeanor, she suspected that this time, Mihoko would take her more seriously than Anchovy did, and possibly Kei A. as well.

Miho found it odd that Mihoko never seemed to open her right eye, but believed that it might be rude to ask about it.

Looking to Miho's side, Mihoko noticed the girl with red hair, and knew that for the first time in three years, she had not found someone who looked similar or a dead ringer, but the actual girl she had faced near the end of middle school.

"Ueno-san? Is that you?" Mihoko said as she looked at Hisa.

Hisa briefly looked surprised, never having expected anyone to call her by that name again.

"It has been a while since anyone called me that; my family name's Takei now," Hisa said. "Do I know you from middle school, or perhaps before then?"

"I don't think we went to the same school at any point," Mihoko said. "Maybe… we faced each other in tankery before…?"

Mihoko, disheartened by Hisa not remembering her, trailed off. She was at a loss for what to say next-she could not refresh Hisa's memory by talking about the time they met before, nor did she believe that she could introduce herself, even after all this time. Instead, Mihoko waited for Hisa to speak next, despite knowing that she would most likely be disappointed to hear what Hisa had to say.

"Sorry, it's not quite coming back to me, although you seem familiar somehow," Hisa said.

Mihoko sighed. Was this girl, the person who looked most like Hisa among all the girls she had seen in the last three years, yet another promising lead that was ultimately a false hope? But while Mihoko had seen more people who vaguely resembled Hisa than she could count on her hands,

Mihoko had to concede that there was a more depressing possibility- that she had found the person for whom she had searched, but that person had never once thought of her in the time period.

"I see," Mihoko said. "Please let me know if anything comes to mind."

"I will," Hisa said. "Let's do our best, Fukuji-san."

The Oarai and St. Gloriana teams then walked back to their tanks to begin the match.

"I knew it," Mihoko said to Darjeeling as they walked away. "She's Ueno-san!"

"The person you have been looking for all this time?" Darjeeling said. "The person who defeated you in the past?"

"That is not everything that is on my mind," Mihoko added. "She is serving under Nishizumi Miho-san, the younger of the Nishizumi sisters. Ueno-san must be very confident in Nishizumi-san's skill if she willingly accepted a vice-captain position under her. And to think the two of them defeated Anzio with so few tanks, suffering so few losses in the process…"

"Yeah, but we achieved almost the same thing last year," Kana said. "We had hardly any casualties against Anzio in the first round. And we beat BC Freedom too; if I recall correctly, _they_ defeated Oarai in a practice match."

"But Oarai isn't the same team it was back then, just as how we've gotten better since then," Miharu said.

"Yes," Mihoko said. "Ueno-san's school three years ago was also an underdog. And that's why we must be careful in this battle. Three years ago, I made a simple mistake, which resulted in my command tank being disabled, and cost me the match. I have no intention of letting this happen again and having all your hard work go to waste."

Everyone from St. Gloriana nodded.

_"You may not remember me, Ueno-san,"_ Mihoko thought, _"but I will show you that I did not forget our battle three years ago."_

* * *

Meanwhile, Oarai was also discussing the development that one of their members apparently knew St. Gloriana's commander.

"Hisa-senpai, did you know St. Gloriana's commander?" Miho said, after St. Gloriana's commanders had departed.

Hisa sighed and shrugged. She could not confidently say yes to the question, but after hearing Mihoko call her by a name that a recent acquaintance would not know, she had to wonder whether she had merely forgotten Mihoko.

"She believes I did," Hisa said.

"And why did she call you 'Ueno-san?'" Miho said.

"It was my former last name," Hisa said. "It's a bit of a long story, from a long time ago, before I met anyone at Oarai."

"That's news to me," Anzu said. "Takei never mentioned having changed her last name in the past, even to us on the Student Council, and we've known her almost since she came here."

"In any case, I know what I must do," Hisa said. "The most likely assumption seems to be that St. Gloriana's commander and I met once before, but on opposite sides. And today, we simply do our best for our schools and comrades, just as we did back then."

* * *

As Hisako got back to her hospital bed after an exercise session, she switched the channel to Oarai's match with St. Gloriana, hoping to catch her granddaughter's match.

Hisako did calculations in her mind, trying to take into account when exactly Mako would need to get up to be on time for the match. However, with all the necessary preparations and possible delays she could think of, Mako would only need to get up at about the same time as she would for school. Mako R.'s ability to be at the match was not in doubt, but Hisako still had to wonder why her Mako would commit herself to this degree.

A nurse had told Hisako, in passing, that Oarai was offering 200 tardiness passes. Hisako immediately realized why Mako was doing this, as well as the deeper motivation behind her desire to graduate on time- Mako's desire to take care of her only remaining family.

Hisako sighed. It was not quite on the level of getting a helicopter ride over to the hospital, but the least she could do for her granddaughter was watch her match. Not all the families of the Oarai tankers did this much, even if their circumstances did not interfere with their doing so.

* * *

Before the match began, Hana checked her cell phone for messages, and found one from Shinzaburou; he had called her in the early morning, while she was busy with the preparations for the match.

"Miss, this is Shinzaburou," Shinzaburou said. "The mistress is still unwilling to watch your match on television or in person. However, her attitude has shifted, and she is beginning to question herself. Good luck; I will keep you informed of how things progress."

Hana sighed. She knew that her mother had been at her most emotional and least reasonable when she had ordered her never to come home again. And while Yuri had calmed down by now, it seemed as though time alone was not enough to get her to come around and accept tankery.

But for Hana, the solution was clear. She merely had to win this match, and stay in the tournament. If she was able to persist and succeed, perhaps it would prove that tankery was not something she did merely on a whim. If Oarai kept advancing, perhaps her mother would come to watch, and see how tankery compared to her preconceptions of it.

* * *

Maho and her vice captains watched the match from the stands.

"So Oarai's facing St. Gloriana now," Erika said. "I hope they're not as lucky this time."

"Perhaps they won't be," Maho said, trying to keep her tone neutral. "St. Gloriana is significantly stronger than Anzio."

"Why do you care about how another school is doing in the tournament, Erika?" Teru said. "You don't have a personal stake in it."

"It's just a matter of principle," Erika said. "The reason why they have a limit of ten tanks in the first round, rather than fifteen or twenty, is to offset the disadvantage that small schools have, and the reason why they increase the limit later on is so that the strongest school can win. But why doesn't the limit increase after the first round?"

Erika smirked before preparing to answer her own question, "It's because winning the first round means little, and is often the result of a good match-up, an advantageous battlefield, or a lucky shot," she said. "Oarai has proved nothing significant so far by defeating Anzio, and if they fail here, that will be that. Only those who have what it takes to defeat all their opponents can triumph in this tournament, and without any hindrances or bad luck, that is what we shall do again this year."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the stands, Oarai and St. Gloriana students sat, cheering on their friends and schoolmates. But one alumna of the latter had more complicated reasons for attending the match and watching her successor as commander.

Ceylon could hardly believe it when she, watching St. Gloriana's victory in the first round on television, had heard that Mihoko had become the school's commander.

She had not been present for the process of appointing her successor, having walked out of the year-end ceremony after Kana made it clear that most of the school was simply glad to be rid of her. Despite that, she believed it was evident to her how and why Mihoko had been chosen.

_"Jasmine-sama's soft approach failed, so I was appointed as her successor in the hopes of getting results,"_ Ceylon thought. _"Does this mean that I've failed, too?"_

Ceylon wanted to believe that the answer to that question was "no", but as much as she tried, she could not conclusively convince herself of that. But she realized that if Mihoko lost to a school like Oarai, one round before Ceylon's defeat in the last tournament, it would be all the proof she needed that Mihoko's style of compassionate leadership was holding the team back. Ceylon might have been defeated in the semi-finals and left St. Gloriana as a pariah, but if things went as she expected, she would be vindicated by history.

_"Fukuji-san, it was always evident that, even though you were too polite to say it outright, you always fancied yourself a superior commander,"_ Ceylon thought. _"Let us put that belief to the test."_

* * *

**Author's Notes  
**

Thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows.

EXpertUS: Some Interludes feature things outside the storytellers' POV, such as scenes with other characters, or various others' thoughts. Such information is not passed on to those listening in the present day.

Since we never see Ami around Oarai after the tournament starts, I inferred that she was only a temporary instructor.

One has to wonder why Hana's mother doesn't start watching her matches until the semi-finals, and it can be inferred that Shinzaburou was only able to convince her to do so in time for the semi-finals.

I'm going to try removing the last initials and seeing how well you are able to distinguish between the characters with the same first names based on context; for example, Yukari calls the Mako from Saki "Someya-dono" after she speaks, while the Mako from Girls und Panzer is referred to as Hisako's granddaughter. I'm interested in hearing how this works.

You might notice that some of the spectators' perspectives have changed by now, or are in the process of changing. That's why I highlight some of the spectators; to show how their opinions change over time. On that note, Yukari's parents, while present at all of her tournament matches, don't change as a result, so they won't be showing up as much.


	18. Out of the Past

**Chapter 13: Out of the Past  
**

At the Isuzu residence, Yuri continued reading the book she had recently bought, "Parents On Land, Children At Sea: Parenting in the Age of School Ships", by Kanzaki Megumi, a child psychologist. On the cover, there was an image of a mother and father, dressed in traditional Japanese clothing, in their coastal home, which resembled the Isuzu family house. Just out at sea, a teenage boy and girl stood on the deck of the ship, wearing their school uniform- a white dress shirt, a red necktie and a navy blazer, with trousers for the boy and a skirt for the girl. They seemed to be looking back at the family house, but on a closer glance, they were also looking past it.

The author briefly summarized the history of the school ship- to get children to develop independently of their parents. It suggested that readers look elsewhere for a more exhaustive description of the school ships' long history- Yuri had read "Schools At Sea: A History of the School Ship From Ancient Times to the Modern World" by Asagami Toshiro, while she was in middle school. The book mentioned parents' concerns about how their children might fare at sea, listing possible major problems such as alcohol, drugs, gangs, juvenile delinquency and violence- Yuri felt a pang of shame when realizing that "choosing to do tankery" did not qualify as a major problem to the author. The book reassured the readers that the schools did everything in their power to minimize these threats, and that ultimately, their children would have to deal with some of those issues sooner or later. The book argued that if the parents did everything they could, their children would grow up into adults who could make the right decisions.

_"I believed all of my decisions while raising her were correct," _Yuri thought. _"So why did Hana-san choose tankery? Most of the other electives seemed traditional enough and appealing for a girl like her."_

"Parents On Land, Children At Sea" concluded that in these times, there were many forces at work that influenced children, such as school, peer groups and the media. As parents were only one of them, they could not expect children to be molded in their image or do everything they were told. But the book also stressed that in spite of that, it was still up to parents to set a good example for their children, so they could make sense of the various messages they received.

Yuri had looked through the book, trying to see if there was any section about raising children who would inherit certain titles or responsibilities. The book advised parents not to mold their children to fit a predetermined role, but to help raise them into being the best possible adults they could be, so that they would be suited to whatever role they wished to do. Wondering why the author would say such a thing, she looked for the author's own experience- Megumi's father was a businessman who apparently had to travel often, while her mother was a homemaker. Clearly, while the author respected her parents, she also believed that she could not emulate their lifestyle or style of parenting, and believed her children would do the same when they had children.

_"So Dr. Kanzaki is saying that Hana-san's path in life was never fully in my control... nor should it have been,"_ Yuri thought. _"But Hana-san always seemed happy with flower arranging. Which of the myriad other influences out there could have changed that? Only one person knows for certain... and she never told me."_

"Shinzaburou," Yuri said as Shinzaburou sat in waiting on her.

"Yes, mistress?" Shinzaburou said.

"Why didn't Hana-san talk to me at any point before deciding to do tankery?" Yuri said.

Shinzaburou paused, at a loss for words. There were several things that came to his mind. First and foremost was "Why don't you ask the miss yourself?" but he believed it was an exercise in futility.

"What would you have said to her?" Shinzaburou said, asking the question that seemed most relevant to him.

Yuri paused. She knew the answer was obvious, but also knew where the conversation was going.

"What I said the last time we spoke, I suppose; to try to convince her that she was doing well and to persevere," Yuri said. She noticed Shinzaburou was grimacing, dreading the answer he would have to give her. "So nothing would have changed, regardless of what I had chosen to say? Please answer honestly."

"No, mistress," Shinzaburou said. "And it may be bold of me to say this, but I think the Miss knew what you would say, both in response to telling you her doubts, and telling you about doing tankery. She told me as much in one of our conversations after the fact."

"So there truly was nothing I could have done to sway her?" Yuri said, and Shinzaburou silently shook his head.

"I do not believe so," he said, "although she did not speak to me before joining tankery; I found out the same time that you did."

Yuri reflected on what she had read in the book. A great deal had happened in Hana's life while she was outside of Yuri's watchful eye, some of which was not what Yuri expected or desired.

But was Hana worse off? Was she necessarily no longer a proper Isuzu flower arranger or daughter?

Yuri was no longer sure of the answers to those questions.

* * *

Nodoka's father had turned on the television and was watching the match between Oarai and St. Gloriana. He had read an article in the local Oarai newspaper about how Oarai Academy had defeated Anzio in the previous round, and found a great deal of it difficult to believe.

When he heard about a school with seven tanks that had apparently been found from where they were discarded across the ship had defeated one with ten, he did not think such an outcome to be very plausible, until he read on and learned about the flag tank rule. He scoffed at the idea of an instant win condition- the few sports that he considered worthwhile pursuits were such that if one team outplayed the other the entire game, it was impossible for the losing side to suddenly recover. To him, games of chance were foolish and trivial pursuits, which cheapened the value of hard work and did not reward natural talent. And if a team at such an obvious disadvantage in terms of experience could win, then tankery was no different in spirit.

That was what he kept telling himself. But another part of him said that there was a time, not long ago, that he believed that winning once was almost unthinkable for Nodoka. Perhaps the time when he could operate off his assumptions and draw conclusions from what he heard second-hand was over. Perhaps it was time to see for himself what tankery was all about, what the results of his daughters efforts over the years were, who she did it with, and why she enjoyed it so much.

* * *

The battle between Oarai and St. Gloriana took place on a coastal plain with sparse wooded areas. To the side of the area where Oarai and St. Gloriana's forces began at opposite ends, there were hills, overlooking a valley with a thicker forest within it.

Darjeeling got into her Churchill, along with Orange Pekoe and Assam, realizing that as the flag tank, their role was most important.

"Darjeeling-san," Mihoko said over the radio. "You remember the plan, do you not?"

"I do, Commander," Darjeeling said. "Rest assured that we shall not spill one drop of tea in this battle, no matter how the enemy pursues us."

"If all goes well, they will never get the chance," Mihoko said. "Please remain ready in case they come your way, though."

"Yes, ma'am," Darjeeling said.

"Everyone else, advance along the courses I have charted," Mihoko said. If we move quickly, we will be able to keep the enemy on the defensive, and away from our flag tank."

As St. Gloriana's tanks set out on their attack, Mihoko observed her surroundings and waited for word from her subordinates. Mihoko was especially talented at analyzing enemy battle lines, and knowing which points were vulnerable. She also knew the difference between a hole in the enemy's defenses and a trap, which enabled her to avoid making mistakes like the one Ceylon had made against Pravda the previous year.

* * *

Oarai's team set out from its starting point on the arena, a relatively clear area- and fairly exposed, at that- in search of the enemy.

This time, the Type 89 was Oarai's flag tank. They had hoped to learn from Rabbit Team about how to best manage this, and in doing so, realized that they had opposite problems. Rabbit Team had a tendency to panic whenever things did not go their way, even in situations where they might otherwise be able to prevail. Only calmness in the face of enemy fire had kept them in the game against Anzio.

For Duck Team, the problem lay not in their willingness to face the enemy, but their ability to do so. In the past tank battles, they had come to recognize how limited the Type 89's capabilities were, and adjust their plans accordingly. If they came under attack, their gun had little chance of defeating the enemy. And if the enemy fired on them, their armor was unlikely to hold up to the attack. For most enemy tanks, taking Duck Team out of the fight, and Oarai out of the tournament, would be an easy task.

But while they knew how unfavorably the Type 89 compared to other tanks, if they had never found it, they would never have been able to join the tankery team. The former volleyball club were team players by nature, so if their team needed them to fight in an inferior tank and stay in the game, then that was what they would do. Whatever their reasons for joining tankery were, the team's goal of victory had become Duck Team's goal as well, and they hoped their allies felt the same way.

* * *

As St. Gloriana's tanks advanced toward Miho's position, visible off in the distance, Miho realized that her enemy would strike first, to keep the attention off of their flag tank.

"Be careful, everyone," she said over the radio. "St. Gloriana is likely going to go on the offensive this time, and at the moment, they appear to be doing so."

Miho and her allies fanned out, in search of where the enemy would strike, their flag tank, and any gaps in their advance. If they could pick off an isolated unit, they stood a good chance of breaking the line and taking the rest by surprise.

Unfortunately, they soon found that the enemy had spread out more and advanced farther than they had thought.

* * *

Duck Team, trying to escape the encroaching enemies from all directions, came face to face with a Crusader that had navigated a narrow hill path and escaped Oarai's notice. Apparently it had been sent ahead and was used as a scout to look for the Type 89. It had served its purpose, and worse still, its armor and weapons were strong enough to defeat the Type 89 on its own, even without the aid of the rest of its team.

"This isn't good," Taeko said over the radio. "We've been discovered!"

Hippo Team, firing on the Crusader from the side, managed to disable it, but not before it got off a radio call alerting the other St. Gloriana teams of where the Oarai flag tank was.

Duck Team, as well as Oarai as a whole, realized that for the moment, the priority was protecting the flag tank from St. Gloriana's attack before they could even hope to strike at the enemy's flag tank.

* * *

Miho heard the situation report over the radio. She realized that while she should not allow St. Gloriana to dictate the flow of the battle, for the moment, it was necessary to protect their flag tank until they had an opportunity to strike back.

"So the enemy's coming after our flag tank," Miho said. "Duck Team, follow the route I lay out for you, going over the hill and into the forest in the valley. Octopus Team will arrive to reinforce you, and help you on top of the hill"

Duck Team began their retreat toward a gently sloping path on the hill that they could use to climb over the hill and descend into the valley.

* * *

At the base of the hills, some distance from Duck Team and their destination, Turtle Team had, while scouting out, encountered the enemy commander's tank, a Churchill Mk. VII, and the largest portion of tanks. Miho was about to order them to retreat when she heard that Duck Team had been discovered. At that point, she ordered them to run interference.

"Time to show these people what I can do," Anzu said. "Koyama, I'll need to see some top-rate driving if we're going to survive long enough to do some damage."

"Understood, President," Yuzu said.

"Leave the loading to me," Momo K. said.

Turtle Team fired, taking out the tracks of one of the Crusaders in Mihoko's group. Circling around, while hastily avoiding the turret of the one it had de-tracked just before it fired, they fired into the back of a Matilda to the right of the de-tracked Crusader, disabling it. They fired at close range, disabling another Matilda before it could fire on them.

Turtle Team, having thrown Mihoko's group into disarray, tried to retreat. But the instant their turret peeked out from the side of one of the disabled tanks, Miharu, having Turtle Team in their sights, fired.

"They got us!" Anzu said.

The crew of Mihoko's Churchill surveyed the damage, wondering how one tank could have stymied them so much.

"That is odd," Mihoko said. "Their performance in the previous round was nothing like this, especially not their accuracy."

"Maybe their gunner needed glasses, too?" Kana said.

"Commander, we've been de-tracked!" Earl Grey, commander of the de-tracked Crusader, said.

"Repair the track as soon as you can," Mihoko said. "And don't think of this as being left behind; you simply have a slightly different role to play in taking down the flag tank and its protectors."

"Understood, Commander!" Earl Grey said, before turning to her crew. "Please hurry, ladies," she said to them. "The Commander will need our help."

"Yes, ma'am!" Earl Grey's subordinates said together as they started on the track. Mihoko, for all her desire to help out when she could, left the repairs of the tanks to St. Gloriana's dedicated repair crew. But Earl Grey had her subordinates work on basic repairs that could be made to the tanks, and having them do so was starting to pay off.

* * *

In the hills, some distance from the others, Anglerfish Team and Sparrow Team searched for their enemy's flag tank, when Miho got word of the result. Miho realized that it had impeded the enemy somewhat, but they were still in hot pursuit, and would be able to catch up easily despite Duck Team's efforts to escape.

"We won't be able to make it in time," Miho said. "Judging by the enemy positions, they're much closer than we are."

Miho then spotted track marks on the slope, matching those of a Churchill. With the other Churchill- Mihoko's command tank- accounted for, she realized which tank had made them.

"I think I know where the flag tank is headed," Miho said.

* * *

As Earl Grey's crew finished repairs on their de-tracked Crusader, the radio operator got a call.

"This is the commander," Mihoko said. "Our group is in pursuit of the flag tank, and we are nearing your location. Please follow the instructions I will now give you, and you should reach the flag tank's group before the enemy reinforcements."

"We're on our way, Commander," Earl Grey said.

Earl Grey and her crew climbed back into their tank, started it up again, and were pleased to see it moving forward. They were running late, and would need to hurry if they wanted to support their allies, but they were still in the game, and would do what they could for the sake of their team.

_"Perhaps they couldn't land a shot that would finish us off, or maybe you didn't have the time," _Earl Grey thought. _"But we will vindicate the Commander's faith in us, and make the crew of the Pz 38 regret leaving the job half-finished."_

* * *

As Duck Team fled from Mihoko's encroaching forces, they were joined by Hippo Team, Rabbit Team and the Char B1 Bis. Oarai's tanks returned fire as they fled, but they could do little against the enemy's strong frontal armor. The enemy's shots missed them, as the group twisted and turned, forcing their enemy to stay on the move and throwing off their line of fire.

"There's not much we can do without a turret," Oryou said. "I feel like I'm running naked through an inn."

"In front of us, there's one incoming!" Saemonza said.

_"You made it,"_ Mihoko thought. _"Your efforts will not be rendered null and void so easily."_

As Hippo Team diverted its course to intercept the new arrival, Mihoko's Churchill deviated from its pursuit of the flag tank, so that it could intercept the StuG to its left, as the group turned left. Mihoko's tank pulled up alongside Hippo Team, quickly fired a shot into its side, and retreated before the Char B1 Bis or Rabbit Team could retaliate.

The Crusader, its approach unimpeded, fired a shell that sailed through the air and struck the M3 Lee in the side, causing a large blast aned taking out Rabbit Team. Seconds later, a shell from the Char B1 Bis struck it and disabled it.

Mihoko's Churchill circled back around and resumed the pursuit, joined by the rest of the nearby St. Gloriana tanks.

Duck Team and the Char B1 Bis had escaped for the moment, but at a heavy cost- two more of Oarai's tanks had been downed, and only one more stood between them and the flag tank.

* * *

In the stands, Yasuko, Kei A. and a few of the other BC Freedom tank commanders watched the match.

"Back when I was discussing their loss against us with Oarai, one of their students brought up the flag tank rule," Yasuko said. "I thought she was making excuses at the time, but she was right; having to take out the flag tank does change how the game is played... even if it isn't necessarily in Oarai's favor."

"What do you mean by that, Coach?" Kei A. said.

"In terms of casualties, Oarai and St. Gloriana aren't that far off," Yasuko said. "But as far as the flag tank goes, St. Gloriana is significantly closer to taking out Oarai's."

Kei A. took another look at the map on the screen.

"They're doing better than we were at the equivalent point in our match," Kei A. said. "Even while protecting our flag tank with all our remaining tanks, we weren't able to shake off their pursuit and counterattack."

Yasuko nodded.

"That's true," Yasuko said. "Usually, the best defense is a good offense, but you also need to keep your flag tank safe. And If Oarai's flag tank survives this attack, they might just have a shot at taking down St. Gloriana."

* * *

As Octopus Team approached the point at which they could ambush Mihoko's group, Hisa had a sudden sense of deja vu.

"For some reason, seems oddly familiar, Miho," Hisa said over the radio. "It reminds me of a match I did in the past, the semi-finals of the tournament three years ago, my last tankery match before coming to Oarai."

"What happened there?" Miho said.

"I took out the command tank," Hisa said. "At that point, the enemy forces fell into disarray, and I was able to trap and take out the flag tank. I might be able to take down the commander's tank, but it seems fairly risky."

Miho pondered her remaining forces- her team, the Char B1 Bis, Sparrow Team, Octopus Team and Duck Team. Having taken out only four of St. Gloriana's tanks, they were unlikely to win a war of attrition.

"If you can pull it off, please do it, Hisa-senpai," Miho said.

Miho glanced out the hatch of the tank.

"Sparrow Team, i think I've found the flag tank," she said. "It's probably seen us already, so here's what I'll need you to do..."

* * *

Duck Team and the Char B1 Bis reached the flat top of the hills, overlooking the woods in the valley. The view of the forest, stretching on for kilometers ahead, was breathtaking, and the volleyball team would have taken a moment to take in the view if they were not being pursued.

Mihoko, reaching the top of the hill, closed in on the flag tank and its escort of the Char B1 Bis. The group of St. Gloriana tankers unleashed a volley of fire, taking down the Char B1 Bis, causing it to spin sideways and raise its white flag.

"Take that!" Kana said as she started to load the next shell. "You've caused us enough trouble."

"It's causing us even more trouble, Kana-chan!" Miharu said. "I can't get a shot on the flag tank!"

"Neither can anyone else," Mihoko said. "Stay calm, and we should get another opportunity soon."

* * *

While the St. Gloriana tanks were reloading, Duck Team started to speed over the crest of the hill and into the valley.

Around that time, Octopus Team emerged on top and aimed at Mihoko's Churchill.

"Saki- fire on the Churchill in the center," Hisa said.

Saki had one shot at most, before the St. Gloriana tanks turned their attention from Oarai's flag tank to her tank.

Saki took aim, pulled the trigger, and the shot hit Mihoko's Churchill.

In the same moment, the other tanks fired on the P44, striking it multiple times at once. Its white flag raised, and it was out of the game.

Moments later, they noticed that their commander's white flag had also raised.

"Looks like a double KO," Mako S. said.

"Maybe so, but it should pay off," Hisa said. "We traded our vice-captain for their commander. The rest is in Miho and the others' hands."

* * *

Mihoko's right eye opened as she looked around and surveyed the battle. The enemy's Type 89 had taken the opportunity to escape, and was almost out of sight; Mihoko's tanks having ceased their pursuit.

"This is just like three years ago..." Mihoko said.

"She knew which tank was ours, and that she'd only have one shot," Kana said. "Captain...could it be that she really does remember you, after all?"

Mihoko remained silent, but Kana knew that, whether Hisa was the girl the commander remembered or just another stranger, the remaining St. Gloriana tankers would have to take action if they wanted to win the match.

"This is Ikeda," Kana said over the radio. "The commander's tank has been taken out!"

"Understood, Ikeda-san," Darjeeling said. "Let us know the situation over there."

Kana realized that the flag tank, having been in hiding, was not fully aware of what had been going on elsewhere. But without their commander's tank in the game, they could only do what they could. And now that their commander's plan had failed to take out the enemy at the first opportunity, all that remained was to improvise.

_"Captain, you always believed that the women under your command, not the commander, were the heart and soul of a team," _Kana thought. _"Now, it's time to show you what we can do."_

* * *

Darjeeling set her cup down on her saucer uneasily, causing the remaining tea to swish in the cup.

Moments later, she looked up, out of the hatch, and saw Miho's tank heading down the hill, in her direction.

Darjeeling knew that with her commander out of action, she was now in charge.

"All tanks," she said."I, Darjeeling, am currently taking command after the Commander's tank has been disabled. I am currently under attack and in desperate need of assistance."

Darjeeling then described her location and destination- the wooded area in the valley where the Type 89 was now hiding, and where she hoped to take refuge as well. After doing so, Darjeeling realized that the team's morale likely had sunk as a result of losing their commander.

"The commander has done a great deal for all of us, from the aces who are the leading officers for the team, to those on the bench," Darjeeling said. "Now that her tank has been taken out, it's our turn to return the favor, to vindicate her trust in us, to pull through when she needs help."

The remaining tanks, revitalized by Darjeeling's speech, surged into action to protect the flag tank from Oarai's pursuit.

* * *

Miho, pursuing the flag tank, realized that she would have to end the round soon, if she hoped to end it in a favorable outcome for her team, as the Churchill swerved and avoided one of Hana's shots.

Throughout the entire battle, she had only been able to succeed by shifting her current engagement to conditions that were easier for her to fight in. And now, unless she could trap and defeat the flag tank before reinforcements arrived, she would have nowhere to run this time.

"Sparrow Team, are you in position yet?" Miho said over the radio.

"We are, Commander," Kaori said.

"Good," Miho said. "By my estimate, we should be able to catch them just in time, if everything goes well. But we'll only have one shot to take them out before the enemy reaches us."

"I'll make it count~su," Momo T. said.

* * *

The Dragon Wagon reached the sidelines, and Mihoko and Hisa got out at the area on the sidelines where the crews of the defeated teams watched the remainder of the match play out. Some described it as boring, while others were too busy worrying about whether their team would win to become bored in their inactivity.

Mihoko had many things to ask Hisa, but she realized that her most pertinent questions- relating to whether she remembered her- were ones that would not get a straight answer, much less the one Mihoko wished Hisa would say.

"Ueno-san, I have a question," Mihoko said, and Hisa nodded. "Do you trust your subordinates? To carry on the battle without you? To inherit the team once you've graduated?"

"I do," Hisa said. "I've always done my part, but there are times, like this, when you've done what you can, but can't accomplish what you want alone, or even fight alongside your comrades. I didn't want to step away from the finals three years ago, but I believed that I could trust my comrades to do the best they could."

Hisa glanced up at the display, nodded and smiled, confident that her teammates would make it in time. She appreciated hearing Hisa express faith in her subordinates, even if she believed in and was rooting for the opposing team.

"And that's why I trust Miho and the others to win this round, and help me advance to the end of the tournament," Hisa said. "It might be my only chance to win the tournament, but does that mean they're any less determined? That they are any less deserving of seeing their efforts come to fruition? I don't think so, and that's why Miho and I have worked to make our team into one that can win for all their sakes."

Mihoko realized that she was one step closer to understanding why Hisa had mysteriously disappeared after the last tournament- whatever happened, it was something that prevented Hisa from coming.

_"So there are others out there who are like me,"_ Mihoko thought. _"And while I hope to set a positive legacy in place for my kouhais, I hope to achieve victory for them, for my classmates, and for myself now. Darjeeling-san, I entrust you with all of my- no, all of **our**- hopes."_

Meanwhile, Hisa, glancing at Mihoko, was reaching conclusions of her own, as the girl before her seemed more and more familiar.

_"I'm all but sure I know who she is..."_ Hisa thought. _"One more sign is all I need to confirm it..."_

* * *

As Miho closed in on Darjeeling's Churchill, the four remaining St. Gloriana tanks were coming their way. Miho knew that if they reached them, it would be almost impossible to defeat them all.

Having come to a similar realization, Darjeeling concluded that the best course of action was to buy time.

"Assam-san, take a right, and quickly!" Darjeeling said, hoping to retreat into the forest while her allies finished off Oarai's remaining tanks.

But the barrel of Oarai's Cromwell pointed through the tree line, and aimed at Darjeeling's Churchill, the crew not noticing their attacker until it was too late.

At precisely the correct moment, Momo pulled the trigger. The shell sailed through the air and struck the English tank, causing it to shake before coming to a stop. The entire crew was overwhelmed by shock and the feeling of the tank shaking.

Darjeeling's tea cup dropped to the floor of her tank and shattered.

The white flag rose on the St. Gloriana flag tank.

"Oarai wins the match!" the announcer said over the loudspeaker.

* * *

**Author's Notes  
**

Thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows.

I'd also like to thank severstal and Stalker117 for beta reading this chapter.

EXpertUS: Saki was not a commander in the past; she was a gunner for Hanekoma Middle School. In canon, Saki doesn't have as much aptitude for leadership as Miho does, since while she's talented at mahjong, she doesn't have the ability to advise others or come up with group-wide strategies that someone like Hisa does, which is a large part of why Hisa is in command of Octopus Team.

While Girls und Panzer had the battle with Anzio being an easier match than Saunders or St. Gloriana, I decided to make the second match significantly more difficult than Anzio, and somewhat more difficult than BC Freedom, to have the matches increase in difficulty over time.

I modeled part of the arena after one briefly glimpsed in the opening sequence. I decided to do one that hadn't been seen as much before, one that was flatter, except for the hills and forest further away, and one that was closer to the coastline. I also hoped to do a different sort of battle than we'd seen before in the anime, involving more pursuit of the flag tank.

I also decided to show the commander being out of action for a greater length of time; Anzio concluded more quickly once Anchovy was taken out of action, mainly resulting in one futile attempt by the flag tank to escape.


	19. Reunion

**Chapter 14: Reunion  
**

Hisa and Mihoko watched from the sidelines, as Sparrow Team disabled the St. Gloriana flag tank, and heard the announcer declare that Oarai had won.

Hisa's right eye fell open, and a tear came out of it, along with the left one. Defeat was something she was prepared to accept, but what she found the idea of letting her subordinates down difficult to bear.

"I'm sorry, Darjeeling-san," she said. "I should have done more to prepare you and the others for this opponent. If only I'd known their vice-captain was Ueno-san earlier..."

"I can't really take the credit here," Hisa said, as she placed a comforting hand on the shoulder of her defeated opponent. "Miho has never been one for typical tactics, and-" Hisa cut herself off as she looked at Mihoko's face, and saw both of her eyes open, immediately noticing the blue color of the open right eye.

The memories came back to Hisa- even after she had forgotten Mihoko's name and face, she still remembered her eyes.

"Wait… I think I played you once before in the semi-finals of the middle school tournament, three years ago," Miho said. "I won that time, but you put up quite a fight back then."

"You remember me?" Mihoko said, incredulous.

"Of course; I only needed the proper reminder," Hisa said. "Your eyes were so beautiful, I wonder why I forgot them."

Tears again came to Mihoko's eyes as she was overwhelmed by another emotion- this time, joy. Her efforts had not been in vain. The chance encounter had not so easily been forgotten. Hisa was here, standing before her now, and they could resume where they had left off.

"Thank you for the game today," Mihoko said, wiping her tears away and bowing.

"Let's head back for the post-game ceremony," Hisa said. "And I promise you- we will meet again sooner this time."

Mihoko smiled and nodded.

* * *

The Oarai and St. Gloriana teams exchanged bows at the end of the match.

"Nishizumi-san?" Mihoko said, offering her hand to Miho, who took it and shook it. "Congratulations on a well-fought match."

"You're not upset at all, Fukuji-san?" Miho said, surprised at the contrast between Mihoko's demeanor and Anchovy's.

Mihoko smiled and shook her head.

"Not at all," Darjeeling said. "The commander is pleased to have met Ueno-san…I mean, Takei-san, again, and enjoyed the chance to face her one more time. And as for me, I enjoy suspenseful matches more than I enjoy winning; you defeated us like your sister did two years ago, but I had more fun against you."

Miho smiled, pleased at finally being favorably compared to her sister. She had never sought to surpass Maho, but hoped to stand on her own merits, as a tanker and as a person. With this endorsement of sorts from Darjeeling and Mihoko, Miho felt as though she was taking the first steps toward that goal.

"We will watch your progress from here on out in the tournament, but first, please accept this gift," Mihoko said.

Orange Pekoe walked forward, carrying a basket of teas that Mihoko and Darjeeling had asked her to fetch. She then handed the basket to Miho.

Miho was greatly pleased as she immediately recognized the gift basket, a gift of tea from St. Gloriana to opponents they deemed worthy.

"Please let us know how you found the teas," Mihoko said. "If you would like, we would be glad to have you as our guests at St. Gloriana."

"The same is true for Oarai," Hisa said. "We could have you over if you would like."

"Yes, I would be very interested," Mihoko said. "I would like to talk it over with the others, and a few people might like to come as well."

"Excellent," Mihoko said. "I hope to see you again soon."

"Here's my cell phone number," Hisa said, handing Mihoko a card with the number for the cell phone she had for personal use.

"Thank you very much, Ueno-san," Mihoko said, producing a similar card and handing it to Hisa. "Here is the number to the telephone at my apartment."

Exchanging bows, Hisa and Mihoko's groups said goodbye to each other, and headed back to their ships.

"Commander?" Darjeeling said. "I am so sorry for the loss."

"Please do not be," Mihoko said, placing a hand on Darjeeling's shoulder. "Did you not once tell me, 'God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to things I can, and wisdom always to tell the difference?' We did all we could."

"Yes, thank you, Commander," Darjeeling said.

Orange Pekoe's expression was pensive; she realized that as a first-year, she still had a long way to go, even if Mihoko had believed in her and helped her practice her loading. But once Mihoko graduated, the team would be in their hands, and they could only do their best in the next tournament.

* * *

As the match concluded, Nodoka's father watched on his television, surprised that Nodoka had won again, albeit less so than he was at her victory in the first match.

He began to understand the flag tank rule better, and no longer regarded taking it out as much of an act of chance before. Rather, he thought of protecting it as the team's objective, like soccer teams protect their goal while trying to get the ball into that of their opponents. St. Gloriana had given their all to save the flag tank after their commander was taken out, and had failed.

If Kei had heard about the St. Gloriana girls' determination to protect their leader and win for her sake, it would have elicited little more than mild dismissive contempt from him. He believed ideals such as that were useless unless they had something behind them- a combination of the determination, resources and ability to make dreams into reality. He believed that he had not become a lawyer out of some noble calling to help defend the innocent, but he had succeeded because he had studied hard in college and law school, worked his way through school and earned scholarships, and had the talent necessary to succeed. Kei H. was not one to engage in unethical behavior, but he believed that the lawyers who were most successful were the most skilled and determined, not the most noble and idealistic.

But he had also dismissed Nodoka's promise as a mere fantasy, one that she could never hope to make reality. Now, she had more to show for her efforts apart from merely arguing in terms of sentimentality by bringing up her friendships. If his assumptions about tankery were not holding up, was he also incorrect in assuming that tankery was nothing more than a distraction for Nodoka?

Of course, two more rounds remained before Nodoka could fulfill her promise, ones in which Nodoka's opponents would have even more of an advantage in numbers, and possibly even stronger tanks. Perhaps Nodoka would learn a lesson when the weight of reality, practicality and the limits of her abilities crushed her hopes. Kei found it somewhat unfathomable that people would be obsessed with tankery to the degree that Black Forest's commanders seemed to be, but he also found it unfathomable that Nodoka's team could win against them... assuming she and the others made it that far.

* * *

As the three highest-ranking tankers of Black Forest looked on, they did not hear the words that were spoken between Mihoko and Hisa, but noticed an odd familiarity in how they were interacting. They did not know what had happened between the two in the past, but knew that there was a story of some sort involving them.

"What were the odds?" Maho said.

"Of Oarai winning this time?" Erika said.

"No, of Miho's vice captain and St. Gloriana's commander knowing each other," Maho said. "In most cases, siblings tend to go to the same school, whether because they want to go to school together or their parents sent them to the same place, although there are exceptions. Friends tend to want to go to the same school as each other, although there might be other factors at play that prove to be of more importance. Those two clearly met before, and appear to be on friendly terms, but for some reason, circumstances kept them apart."

Teru shrugged.

"Some siblings have different interests, and the same is true for friends," Teru said. "For example, one sister who is passionate about tankery might go to Black Forest, while the other, who doesn't care much for it, would go elsewhere."

Maho glanced at Teru, assuming that she was talking about Saki, but unsure why, if Teru's assumption that Saki had lost interest in tankery held true, Saki was going to Oarai and participating in its bid for the tournament.

"That's possible, Teru," Maho said. "And given that most people who badly wanted to do tankery would not have chosen Oarai, I have a few theories as to why the team is doing surprisingly well. The first is that the new players are learning tankery more quickly than their opponents expected."

Erika scoffed at Maho's theory, but Maho continued without missing a beat.

"The second is the presence of people who, like Miho, disliked tankery but got back into it for one reason or another," Maho said.

"Are you saying that they were forced to join the team, Commander?" Teru said, as Maho's second theory piqued her curiosity. "I don't think a Student Council could legally do anything like that. They could probably make extracurriculars mandatory, but they can't dictate which one you do."

"Oarai desperately needed volunteers, so it's possible they could make that claim and hope the students didn't call their bluff," Maho said. "Alternatively, they had incentives of some sort for potential recruits."

"So who's the third group?" Teru said.

"The last is the presence of people who not only are good at tankery, and _want_ to do it, but _ca_n_'t _choose another school," Maho said.

"So you're saying that not everyone at Oarai is a complete amateur, Commander?" Erika said. "I'd certainly like to believe that is the case."

"That's a possibility, Erika," Maho said. "But I must say that you seem unusually bothered by the prospect of a no-name school succeeding."

Erika sighed, letting down her haughty facade for a moment.

"Since I was young, I've been training hard to become the best tanker I can be, both when I was a student at your family's school, and while I was doing tankery in the past," Erika said. "Of course, I also have a lot of talent, which allows me to get more mileage out of my effort than most. So what does it say when a group of amateurs rise up and beat established tankery teams?"

Maho was tempted to give one of a few answers to the question- _"That nothing's set in stone,"_ _"That no one's invincible,"_ or _"That Miho_'s _more talented than you believe,"_ but held her tongue, knowing that none of those statements were things a Nishizumi heiress should say.

Erika shook her head and regained her composure. "That _can't_ happen," she said. "Someone needs to show Oarai their place, and I'll do it myself if I need to."

Maho silently nodded, realizing the possibility that she would potentially have to go up against Miho, and be expected to defeat her in the name of the Nishizumi school. If she faced Miho, she would have to crush her hopes of victory, but would also potentially get to see what Miho had come up with on her own, without her sister's guidance or the resources available to her at Black Forest.

Teru pondered what Erika had said before speaking. She realized Oarai was weaker than Black Forest, but also saw potential. And yet, she believed there was something more relevant than either of those facts.

"I would remind you that Oarai does have a difficult opponent ahead of them," Teru said, "but we do have more immediate concerns ourselves."

Maho nodded, knowing that Pravda would be their next opponent. She knew that her mother would expect her to defeat them this year, like she had in her first year of high school, and her mother believed she would have in her second. Of course, she believed her mother was correct- Maho had succeeded at that task before, and it was well within her ability.

So why did Maho feel a nagging sensation of doubt? Why was she wondering about what would happen once the match had ended?

Maho found no answers to those questions, so she decided to put them out of her mind for the moment, lest her worries for the future prevent her from accomplishing what she had to do next.

* * *

Ceylon, watching the post-game ceremonies, found herself overcome by conflicting emotions. The outcome was the one that she had desired, but not quite the one she had expected.

Mihoko had lost, as Ceylon had predicted, and to the enemy Ceylon viewed as the most pathetic opponent possible in the current tournament's setup, at that. Ceylon assumed that said defeat would result in her being humiliated, and coming to regret her leniency with her subordinates. That was what Ceylon had hoped would happen, although she realized, at times, that desire was born from the realization that she was regretting her harsh treatment of her subordinates, an unsettling realization Ceylon tried to push out of her mind.

But Mihoko graciously bowed to and shook hands with her opponent's commander, and even offered the ones who had defeated her school tea. _"Has she no shame?" _Ceylon thought, wondering why Mihoko could still be calm after letting down the subordinates she claimed to care for so much. While still thinking little of Mihoko's sense of duty toward her subordinates, Ceylon had come to concede that it was a valid reason to win, and that Mihoko would be invested enough in it to feel disappointed over her loss.

Ceylon then realized that losing in the quarterfinals was not much different from losing in the semi-finals; they were ultimately the same in that they signified that the losers were able to win, but unable to advance all the way through the tournament. With many schools trying for the victory, and only a few reasonably able to win, why did the weaker schools compete? Ceylon wondered if they honestly believed that they could win, but suspected that most had some idea of their chances, and while they would be pleased if they won, sought fulfillment through goals other than winning the tournament.

One question remained. Ceylon and Mihoko had their contrasting approaches, but ultimately, neither of them had won the tournament. But in the end, which one of them truly had more? Ceylon hoped that she would find the answer by the next time she met Mihoko- perhaps if fate brought Mihoko together with the "Ueno-san" she had mentioned once, Ceylon and Mihoko would meet again someday.

* * *

In Oarai's hospital, Hisako finished watching her granddaughter's school's match with St. Gloriana.

Hisako thought things over, and realized that by her estimations, it would take more work for Mako to consistently show up on time to the morning practices- Mako had alluded to one such practice once, much to Hisako's disbelief- and the actual tournaments, to say nothing of practicing and competing in matches itself, than it would for her to be consistently on time.

Perhaps things would not have come to this if Mako had just managed to get used to getting up earlier, or budgeted more time in the morning to get to school if it was so difficult for her to get ready in the morning. But while Hisako knew that Mako had always been capable, her ability to commit herself to this degree showed a certain level of determination. Maybe she could try when it counted. Maybe her dedication to take care of her grandmother was not merely an empty promise.

Hisako retrieved her cell phone from her nightstand and sent a text message to Mako, saying "Congratulations on winning, Mako," blushing all the while, and thankful that none of the nurses or her granddaughter could see this side of her.

Within a few minutes, Hisako's cell phone rang, and the caller ID showed Mako's name.

"Hello?" Hisako said.

"Hi, Grandma, I got your message," Mako said, her voice unusually cheerful.

"Ah, yes," Hisako said. "Watching the match over the television wasn't my first choice for how to do it...I mean, spend today, but it will have to do for the moment."

"The hospital's a place where people go to get better, Grandma," Mako said. "There wouldn't be much of a point in letting you out before you're ready, or having you come out only to get back in."

"But they also don't like keeping people around for too long," Hisako said, knowing that her granddaughter was chiding her, rather than patronizingly believing that the obvious was news to her. "I'm going to do everything I can to get out of this hospital by the end of the tournament. You just make sure you and your team can keep advancing until I can see you live. I don't know much about tankery, but it seems hard, so you can't afford to waste any time or effort worrying about me."

"Right, right," Mako said, smiling. "I'll talk to you later, Grandma."

"Until then," Hisako said.

After hanging up, Mako let off a yawn. It had been a long day, and driving the tank throughout the entire match had caused her to expend a great deal of effort. There was no two ways about it- she disliked hard work more than most people did. But she believed that when it mattered, she could go as far as she needed, and work as hard as she had to.

_"It seems as though most of us have a fair ways to go before we can achieve our goals,"_ Mako thought. _"But if getting up, practicing and driving in matches isn't as much of a problem as I anticipated, then perhaps winning isn't impossible, either."_

* * *

At Anzio Academy, Anchovy sat in her office when Carpaccio opened the door, having watched the game against St. Gloriana on a television in the tankery club's meeting room with a few of the other members of the team.

"Duce?" Carpaccio said. "Oarai won the second round."

"I see..." Anchovy said. "That's... about as much as we could hope for. That the opponents who defeated us don't screw up and get taken out immediately."

Carpaccio smiled slightly.

"Kobashiri-san said the same thing," Carpaccio said. "She said, 'Anyone good enough to defeat me damn well better be able to go all the way,'- in the tournament, that is. She was always full of herself, but she can recognize when someone better than she is shows up and defeats her."

Anchovy smirked, recognizing her own description on Carpaccio's comment. Carpaccio did not explicitly point out the resemblance, partly out of politeness, and partly because she knew Anchovy would make the connection without being told.

Anchovy nodded, confirming Carpaccio's belief.

"Well, I don't have any pretensions of being the top tanker out there, nor do I think our school is or can reasonably expect to be on top of the heap," Anchovy said. "I just do my best, but it's disheartening to think that my 'best' only gets me this far. We might have misjudged Oarai, in at least some ways."

"Some ways?" Carpaccio said. "What do you mean, Duce?"

"Mainly in that Nishizumi Miho has shown that she's more than just lucky," Anchovy said. "But even so, her ideals- saying there are things more important than victory- have yet to be tested. How far will she go should she be in a position in which victory is necessary for those comrades? If she ends up in a similar situation as she did in the finals last year, will she try to both win and save her comrades?"

Carpaccio paused, unsure of how to respond to Anchovy's questions.

"Of course, Carpaccio, this is entirely hypothetical; it's likely that nothing like what I described might happen to her," Anchovy said. "Nevertheless, it might reveal a great deal about the kind of person Nishizumi Miho is, and possibly what kind of person her opponent is, too."

"That's true," Carpaccio said. "And unless I'm mistaken, her next opponent is... Saunders College High."

Anchovy sighed at the very mention of Oarai's opponent.

"Kay..." she groaned. "Her school boasts a good record, even if she's notoriously laid-back and doesn't seem to care whether she wins. Isn't anyone in that school's tankery team dedicated to winning?"

"I believe so," Carpaccio said. "For many of those who do tankery for fun, they believe that it's more fun if you win, or at least, when you're trying your hardest to win. For the others, perhaps they have more personal motivations."

Anchovy nodded, intrigued. There was a time when she would have dismissed Carpaccio's statement out of hand, but now, she wanted to put that theory to the test.

"Well, then," Anchovy said. "Let's see how far they're willing to go to win, and how far that takes them."

* * *

Inside Saunders, Shizuno and her friends and crewmates cheered upon seeing Oarai's victory on television. Having won their quarterfinals match, their next would be against Nodoka and her team.

"Nodoka made it!" Shizuno exclaimed.

"The battle against them could be harder than we anticipated," Arata said. "She has some strong people on her team."

"But so do we," Kuro said. "Don't worry, Arata-chan. I will do everything I can to ensure that we get through this coming match, for the sake of you and everyone else here who is hoping to win the tournament."

"Of course, even if we do, we'll have to deal with Black Forest or Pravda," Ako said. "Most people are more interested in their match, rather than ours, since they're the ones who were in the finals last year."

"Maybe so," Shizuno said. "Black Forest is strong. Pravda is strong. Oarai seems to be strong. But we're strong, too! And the five of us have gotten a lot stronger since we joined!"

Arata smiled and nodded.

"Saunders has become a contender for the championship in the last decade, but hasn't actually got it," she said. "A lot of schools are seeking the championship this year now that Black Forest's winning streak has been broken. Let's make this the first year Saunders gets it!"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows.

Mihoko isn't very fortunate in Saki canon; despite being one of the best players in Nagano prefecture, she will likely be remembered as the one who broke St. Gloriana's winning streak, as one reporter derisively indicates at the start of the prefecturals (Of course, her second year was when Koromo made her debut, and her third year was when she had to deal with Saki, her old opponent Hisa, and others). I will say, however, that if she had been in charge instead of Ceylon last year, St. Gloriana would have had a chance to make it to the finals, and Ceylon would have been even more soundly defeated by Oarai.

The especially sad part for the Kazekoshi team is that while all four of Mihoko's teammates are determined to win so that their captain can go to the nationals in her final year, none of them end up with positive scores (Miharu gets hit with Kaori's yakuman, Seika plays into Hisa's hands a few times, Sumiyo is unable to get many wins against Momo T. and Nodoka, and Kana goes up against Koromo, the latter of which speaks for itself).

In spite of that, Mihoko is ultimately reunited with Hisa and gets first place in the Nagano individuals, which perhaps makes this worthwhile for her.

For many characters with relatively open minds, this battle is proof that Oarai's victories until now are not flukes, and some characters will be forced to rethink their perspective on Oarai, while others already have. Of course, some will still remain unconvinced and still underestimate Oarai, but with their personalities, that is largely to be expected.

In the manga, Anchovy has a picture of Kay on a bulletin board, near the picture of Miho that she hits with her riding crop. It's most likely that because she and Kay have very different attitudes on winning, Anchovy dislikes Kay, so I decided to explore why.

Next up is Hisa's Interlude.

At this point, the fic is about halfway through the main story, and, even at this point, it's the longest fic I have ever written. Thank you for reading and giving feedback on it so far, and I hope you enjoy the latter half.


End file.
